EMABANDLA STILL IN OFFICE, GET WAGES

LOBAMBA – It’s business as usual.This is in relation to the continuation in office by traditional advisory councils and committees that were appointed in November 2013 by His Majesty the King.

It has been confirmed that they are yet to be disbanded, hence their continuation to draw salaries from the public purse. The traditional councils, known as emabandla, had 70 lucrative posts in the previous Parliament. However certain members died in office, and were not replaced. These included Prince Logcogco, the former Chairman of Liqoqo, an advisory council to His Majesty. Others are Michael ‘Waqunga’ Dlamini and Obed Dlamini, who were both members of Liqoqo.

TV Mtetwa, the former Chairman of the Ludzidzini Royal Committee and acting Governor of Ludzidzini Royal Residence, died last year. The committees and boards, which are yet to be disbanded, are Liqoqo, Ludzidzini Royal Committee, which advises Her Majesty Indlovukazi, Border Restoration Committee, Board of Royal Trustees and Land Management Board. two vacant posts of Regional Administrators (RAs) in Shiselweni and Lubombo, respectively are yet to be filled.

Themba Masuku, the ex-Shiselweni RA, was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister while Sylvia Mthethwa was moved to Senate by the King. Most of the members of emabandla are paid basic salaries in the region of E40 000, excluding sitting, transport, communication and other related allowances, which top up their monthly pays.

Asked which instrument the traditional councils were using to draw salaries from government, Percy Simelane, the Government Press Secretary, spoke on their behalf in a very brief interview, saying it was due to the fact that they had not yet been disbanded.

who disbands emabandla?

Simelane was worried about the question on which instrument emabandla were using to get their salaries.  That was evidenced by his line of questioning: “When were they disbanded?” He elected not to expand on his response that the councils were still in office. It must be said that there is no specific law that stipulates a date on which the King must dissolve emabandla. It has been a tradition over the past years that a new Parliament worked with newly-appointed members of the traditional councils and committees (emabandla ekweluleka).

Neal Rijkenberg, the Minister of Finance, concurred with Simelane, the Government Press Secretary, that emabandla ekweluleka had not yet been disbanded, hence their continuation in office. “Mr. Simelane is correct,” that was what the finance minister could say regarding the matter. Rijkenberg is the chairman of the Board of Royal Trustees by virtue of his position as minister of finance. Prince Mabandla and Lusendvo Fakudze said they would not comment on the matter because they had no authority over it. His Majesty is in seclusion in honour of the country’s supreme cultural event, Incwala.

During this time, the King is culturally not allowed to perform his duties as Head of State – the executive Monarch, but sources said he could perform those duties when there was an emergency (kwenyenyisa).  When there is a highly pressing issue, kwenyenyisa is applied in terms of Swazi law and custom.  Our sources said the new traditional councils might be appointed next year – after the Incwala ceremony.

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