HUNGRY RESIDENTS IN MODERN HOUSES LEFT OUT

MBABANE - Emaswati occupying well built houses claim to have been left out of the list of food aid beneficiaries.
The food relief programme is spearheaded by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).

Some people had raised concerns that they had been neglected in the ongoing registration for the food aid solely because they were occupying well-built houses.
However, NDMA Chief Executive Officer Russell Dlamini yesterday said this was wrong.

Occupants

“Living in a well-built house does not mean the occupants have food,” he said, during a morning radio show. NDMA is working hand-in-hand with local authorities and nongovernmental organisations to make sure that deserving people do not miss out on the food distribution exercise which starts tomorrow.

The food distribution is intended to benefit 301 762 people who have been hit hard by the effects of the coronavirus.
These are mainly people living with disabilities, those with chronic diseases, breastfeeding women, the elderly, orphaned and vulnerable children and those who have lost their income after the closure of their companies.

The ongoing registration by the NDMA is aimed at identifying people who meet the criteria. It should be noted that there were people already on the programme but their situation had worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neglected

However, some people alleged that caregivers tasked with identifying deserving beneficiaries neglected occupants of well-built houses and are of the view that living in such houses created the impression that they had food yet this was not the case.
Some claimed that the caregivers told them that they were registering people in phases, which they believed to be untrue. Other residents alleged that they were made to pay E50 in order to qualify for the programme.

In response to the allegations, the NDMA CEO, Dlamini, advised those who felt left out to engage the local authorities on the matter.

“We advise those in charge of the exercise to work as a team for fairness and transparency.  If people feel neglected, they should engage the team. However this is not to say everyone would qualify for the programme. A proper analysis of the lists from the caregivers will be done to ensure that the most vulnerable benefit,” he said.

Regarding the issue of registering beneficiaries in phases, Dlamini said he did not know how the idea came about. He said in his knowledge, there were no phases in the ongoing registration apart from the verification exercise.

The CEO warned the nation against paying E50 to have their names registered.
He said there was still a long way to go with the exercise, which might result in some people being left out. Dlamini warned the nation to desist from the payment of bribes.

Registration

“If you pay E50 for registration, it means you have money to buy food,” he said.
Dlamini was also asked to clarify on whether the distribution would be money or food. In response, he said it could be both, depending on the situation.

He also stated that the NDMA was preparing to distribute food parcels in two constituencies in the Lubombo Region. 
He clarified that the food in question was donated by the Republic of China (Taiwan) towards the end of last year.
“Taiwan donated rice. World Vision purchased beans and cooking oil. This is what will be distributed at the constituencies,” he said.

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