SHOCKER: COMPANY PAID E5.6M FOR 50/50 DECOR

LOBAMBA – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday learnt with shock that a local company was paid about E5.6 million to do the decor for the 50/50 Double Celebration garden party.

What surprised the PAC even more was that the company was paid half the amount even before they carried out the work for the one-day event.
As a result, the PAC has instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to find out who the directors of Africa Drum Event Management were.
This was revealed yesterday during the appearance of the Ministry of Home Affairs before the PAC, where the focus was on the audit of the 50/50 Resource Mobilisation Account Utilisation. 

The celebrations were held on April 19, 2018 and the account had cash donations which amounted to E16 992 415.50.
According to the auditor general, Africa Drum Event Management was first paid a deposit of E2.8 million.

Questioned

When the matter was first questioned by the PAC, the ministry, through its Principal Accountant Felizwe Dlamini, spoke as if Africa Drum was a foreign company.
Dlamini was responding on behalf of the ministry’s controlling officer, Nhlanhla Nxumalo.
Dlamini said the companies were South African and they needed the payment up front before they could deliver.

He said the other company involved was Gearhouse South Africa which supplied lights (disco lights) for an amount of E799 508.66.
He said another was Star Hire South Africa, which provided tents at E747 500. 

When questioned further about the type of decor provided by Africa Drum, Dlamini then revealed that it was a local company which had asked that it be given a 50 per cent deposit because they were not at that time financially stable yet at the same time they needed to procure the decor from South Africa.
The deposit amounted to E2 807 440.38 and the total eventually paid out to the events company was E5 614 880.38.
The AG related that there had been no tender authority, other quotations, purchase orders, invoice and delivery note, but only the availed quotation.
Chairperson of the PAC Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi said his heart sank when he read that so much money had been paid to one company for decor for a one-day event.

He said he was not against the country holding national celebrations, but it was clear that some civil servants then turned these celebrations into their feeding lots and in the process tainted Their Majesties’ image.
“What are the international donors supposed to think when they see that so much money has been spent on decor and that no proper tendering processes were undertaken?” asked MP Buthelezi.

Manzini Region MP Busisiwe Mavimbela was also equally appalled by the amount spent on the decor just for one night.
MP Buthelezi further added that it was shocking that about 33 per cent of the collected cash donations of E16 million (about E5.8 million) went to the decor.
 Upfront
It was further revealed that the companies were paid up front when others were only paid six months later, which was why the PAC was curious as to whom the company belonged to.
Mangcongco MP Oneboy Zikalala said it was clear that the company had an inside person within the government structures, who ensured that the company was paid. MP Mavimbela said while they appreciated that the money had gone to a local company, it was no secret that there may have been some corrupt practices involved.
“I am just shocked that a deposit of E2.8 million was paid without any tender authority and no authority granting the single source purchase,” added MP Buthelezi. In vernacular, he exclaimed “Hha, ye Jehova (dear God).”
Mbabane West MP Musa Zwane said such practices were exactly why the 10th Parliament had come up with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), so that people who had illegally obtained things could have them  repossessed.
Meanwhile, Chief Celebrations Officer James Vilakati said he was equally hurt that Their Majesties’ names were dragged through the mud yet it was clear that there were certain individuals who were out to enrich themselves.
He said he missed the late former Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini, who would always ensure that Their Majesties’ name was never dragged through the mud. He said he wanted to strip naked and pray to God that the corrupt practices would be stopped, especially by the people who wanted to taint the image of royalty.
MP Buthelezi echoed Vilakati’s submission that taxpayers then tended to have a negative attitude towards national celebrations as they always associated them with a waste of money, yet it was those who also gave out tenders who were not considerate of both royalty and the nation at large.

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