Home | News | NO FOREIGN TRIPS FOR ‘SMALL JOE’

NO FOREIGN TRIPS FOR ‘SMALL JOE’

29/01/2017 09:36:00 BY MFANUKHONA NKAMBULE

Font size:

MBABANE – While all the 19 cabinet ministers go on foreign trips on a regular basis; it is a different case altogether for Mduduzi `Small Joe’ Dlamini.

The minister of tinkhundla administration and development has not travelled outside the country in the past two years.
This could be due to the uniqueness or structure of his ministry as it deals more with chiefs and communities.

That, at least, is according to Rodgers Mamba, the former minister of the same portfolio, who did not undertake any foreign trip in his two-year tenure of office from 2011 to 2013.
Since he travelled to Botswana in 2014, Dlamini, the current Minister of Tinkhundla and Administration has not undertaken any other foreign trip.

For the current financial year, the minister’s office was allocated an annual budget of E134 311 for travel, transport and communication.
Other ministers like Jabulile Mashwama, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, received E227 572 for travel, transport and communication, while the office of Prince Hlangusemphi, the Minister of Economic Planning and Development received E699 148.

Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the most travelled minister, received E217 589.
Meanwhile, some of the colleagues of the Minister of Tinkhundla have travelled three times or four times a year, with Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Affairs, arguably the most travelled minister.

While there are trips specifically for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation which must be undertaken by the minister himself, Chief Gamedze has the privilege to travel with His Majesty the King and Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini.
Ministers who travel outside the country enjoy the non-accountable daily allowance which covers costs for hotel room, meals, laundry and other basic necessities.
According to highly-placed sources, the non-accountable daily allowances depend on the country being visited - and the number of days the minister will spend there.