HOUSES TURNED INTO EMAHHOKO

LOBAMBA – “It’s a crying shame.” This is the phrase which can best describe the state of government houses, particularly those under the Ministry of Agriculture.

A 2017 report on the inspection of government houses and structures in just the Hhohho Region, that was presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last Friday, showed that a majority of the structures were not fit for human occupation.

The report which was compiled by the Ministry of Public Service, revealed that some of the houses had been vandalised, turned into pre-schools, used as animal sheds, instead of being occupied by civil servants.

In some of the houses, the civil servants said they shared them with bats, while others did not have roofing and they were forced to sleep under the stars with their property being destroyed when it rained.

Another house, according to the report, is occupied by an officer who works for the Swaziland Post (SPTC) and Telecommunications Corporation, who told the inspectors that she paid the rent at some other offices in Manzini, which are in no way related to government. The ministry’s task team visited 41 places in the Hhohho region where they were met with a shocking reality as some of the houses were burnt, while others were said to have been occupied by dagga-smoking boys and mentally challenged people.

Worst still was that civil servants who occupied condemned houses, without water or electricity and some that were classified as caravans, were still made to pay monthly rentals.
In Siphocosini for example, the ministry revealed that there were two unoccupied two-bedroomed houses which were vandalised.

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