PLASTIC BAG LEVY HALTED

LOBAMBA - The 35 cents plastic bag levy has been halted.

This comes after a heated debate between Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo and Speaker Petros Mavimbela yesterday. MP Khumalo yesterday put his foot down and said he did not understand how the Control of Plastic Bag Regulations, 2019 had been implemented when he had indicated that he wanted them to be debated. This was after the Speaker had at the beginning of the sitting said Section 253 of the Constitution allowed ministers to pass regulations particularly if they had been tabled and if no one indicated that they wanted to debate the issue, then they could be passed. Section 253, which addresses issues of subordinate legislation, states that every legislation shall, before commencement, be laid before each chamber of Parliament for a period of at least 14 days. “If during the period of 14 days that legislation is not called upon for debate by motion of any member, then the legislation shall be deemed to have been approved by the chamber concerned.”

Insisted

However MP Khumalo insisted that he had indicated with the Clerk at Table that he wanted to debate the regulations. It was further alleged by MP Khumalo that the Speaker had been influenced by the Executive and other MPs, in particular Maphalaleni MP Mabulala Maseko to pass the regulations although the House had not approved them. The Speaker said he had since consulted and investigations had shown that there was no Hansard record to the effect that any members had wanted to debate the plastic bags issue. However, the legislators, in particular Ndzingeni MP Lutfo Dlamini and Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo, wanted evidence; if the Speaker could withdraw his ruling that the plastic bags regulations should be withdrawn.

MP Khumalo said emaSwati were being abused and murdered by the application of the proposed fees when they were already paying a lot. Mhlume MP Victor Malambe also got involved and asked why a Speaker who was elected by the people was allowing the regulations to be implemented yet there was clearly the influence of the Executive. “You are provoking the people with all these new tariffs,” said Malambe. The Speaker eventually said he would consult further on the matter and wished for yesterday to put it to rest. As a result this means the regulations cannot be implemented.

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