PARLY ORDERS MINISTER TO DELIVER FOOD BY TUESDAY

LOBAMBA – Food should be delivered to schools by next week Tuesday.

This was the order issued by the House of Assembly yesterday.
The motion was moved by Lugongolweni Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Souza, through Standing Order No.58.
“There is a crisis in schools as the children have nothing to eat and I am asking that the minister delivers the food within five working days,” said Souza.
The motion was directed to the acting Minister of Education and Training Dumisani Ndlangamandla, as the substantive minister Dr Phineas Magagula, was reported to be out of the country.

Initially, the motion was directed to the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM)Paul Dlamini, who said although he was responsible for children in the country, the school feeding programme was not under his portfolio.
MP Souza said he had directed it to the DPM as the acting prime minister (PM) because this was now a national issue.
However, the MPs were of the view that the acting minister be called into Parliament.

Ndlangamandla accepted the motion that government would work on distributing the food items to schools.
Most government schools have run out of food supplies, particularly because the Free Primary Education (FPE) grants have not been disbursed by government.
“It will be treated with the utmost urgency that it needs,” said Ndlangamandla. He asked that the five working days be counted from today so that by next Tuesday they deliver, which was when the number of days would elapse. He said Magagula would be back in the country within two days, but that the ministry was working on it.

“Even the minister responsible is aware of the issue and the principal secretary (PS) is working around the clock to address it,” said Ndlangamandla.
Although many of the MPs wanted to debate the issue, Ndlangamandla asked that they immediately work on it instead of dwelling on it.
Chairperson of the Education portfolio committee Hosea MP Thulani Masuku said on Friday he had visited certain schools which were in a crisis.
Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini said they wanted to debate the issue because there were many issues which needed addressing.

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