WAS ICC/FISH BUILDING MATERIAL DIVERTED?

MANZINI – Was building material belonging to the state-of-the-art ICC&FISH diverted?

A government engineer under the ministry of Economic Planning and Development is alleged to have diverted building material belonging to the international convention centre and five-star hotel in Ezulwini for his enrichment. The engineer’s name is known to the Times Sunday but will not be published as the matter is still under investigation. The engineer is currently constructing what people claim is a complex, but he yesterday told the Times SUNDAY, the structure is just a car wash. Apart from this, he has been accused of constructing a lavish house in his parental home within a short space of time. He has, however, said the house was constructed as a joint effort by his family including his brothers whom he claimed were working in South Africa.

Furthermore, the concerned parties have alleged that the engineer’s self-development was worrisome as he has also constructed a lavish house in Matsapha which he was leasing out. To this, he said it took him over three years to construct the house in Matsapha, and it was done using several loans. He admitted that despite being a civil servant, he also had a company, which he claimed was awarded tenders by Micro projects. He, however, explained that he abandoned the company after civil servants were banned from operating other businesses. He said he accumulated his wealth together with his wife, who is also a civil servant. He said the wife had been travelling abroad to stock goods which they sold as a family business before the COVID-19 border lockdown restrictions hit. The matter has also been reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Speaking about the allegations of diverted building material, the engineer said all material he used for construction was not sourced from the hotel building material. He said he bought the material from a nearby blockyard company. The blockyard also belongs to a civil servant who is employed as a driver at the ministry of health. To substantiate his evidence, he showed the Times SUNDAY four receipts from a company identified as Wegazi Investments. The receipts are dated June 22, 24, 27 and July 10. They amount to E18 000. “The allegations are just a fabricated lie from individuals who are jealous about my achievements. I am aware that there are people who want the area that I have been allocated back in my rural community for the construction of the car wash. I believe they are the ones who want to tarnish my name,” he said.

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