WHERE IS COLA - MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

LOBAMBA – “Where is CoLA?”

This was the question that most Members of Parliament (MPs) asked Minister of Public Service Christian Ntshangase during the ministry’s annual performance report debate for the current financial year. It was held at Senate yesterday. The portfolio committee is chaired by Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane. The MPs expressed their dissatisfaction on the minister after he presented his preamble without touching anything on the subject of the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) for civil servants.

First to inquire about it was Nkwene MP Vulimpompi Nhleko, who said emaSwati from each and every corner of the country were complaining about it. He stated that it was a pity that not even the portfolio committee was engaged on the issue. “What surprises me is that even the report does not touch on anything about CoLA yet it is legal and it is the right of employees.

Expressions

“Each and every year employees should be getting CoLA, no matter how much it is but you are silent, no one is uttering a word about it,” Nhleko said. He elaborated that the minister who was responsible for reporting to the portfolio committee should do so accordingly. The MP highlighted that as members of the august House, they were elected by the people and so it would be remiss of them if they did not speak for the latter (electorate). Nhleko requested the minister to go back and prepare a page which would issue an update on CoLA. In the same vein, Phondo MP Xolani Vilakati alluded to that he was disappointed by the minister for not saying anything about CoLA when civil servants had their ears on the ground on the matter. He stated that the matter affected the entire citizenry of the kingdom. Vilakati said it would be fit if the ministry could review the E277 million, which was allocated for CoLA and request for E500 million instead, so that emaSwati could be assisted. He emphasised that he was expecting that the ministry would touch on CoLA because the nation would not be what it was if it was not for civil

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: