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CHIEF GCOKOMA DISOWNS PARLIAMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

18/07/2022 06:34:00 Yussuf Mohammed

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MBELEBELENI - The Parliament Portfolio Committee for the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs was on Saturday disowned by Chief Prince Gcokoma at the Mbelebeleni Inkhundla, much to the disappointment of residents who had wanted to make inputs into the Marriage and Matrimonial Property Bills.

The committee’s visit to the umphakatsi was aimed at soliciting views of the residents which would be subsequently included in the Bills that are being currently drafted in readiness to be forwarded to Parliament before being endorsed as laws of the country. Interviewed residents expressed concern that the chief was robbing them of an opportunity to make submissions to the important legislation. Chief Prince Gcokoma is a former Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Regional Development.

Meeting

When the Parliament Portfolio Committee Chairman Member of Parliament (MP) Mabhanisi Dlamini approached the umphakatsi, a meeting on a community water project was in progress. He approached the chief, who is also a member of the Land Management Board (LMB). He told him: “We are representing the Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini. We have come to solicit views of the residents, views that we will include in the Marriage and Matrimonial Property Bills.”

However, the chief seemed unwelcoming to their request and said he did not know about their visit to the area. When reached for comment, Prince Gcokoma said he was expecting the committee to come with the constituency’s Member of Parliament (Michael Masuku), who was unfortunately not present. He said the committee was supposed to be formally introduced to him by the Mkhiweni MP. Contrary to that, the Mkhiweni MP (Masuku) said he reported the committee’s visit to the Mkhiweni Indvuna Lubandze Khumalo prior to Saturday.

Accident

According to the chairman (Kwaluseni MP Dlamini), the Mkhiweni MP (Masuku) had reported that he was attending to a car accident in which his son was involved. The car that the Mkhiweni MP’s son was driving was involved in an accident around Luve area on Friday, injuring seven people.
A team of officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs came to the umphakatsi a few months ago before the recent visit by the ministry’s Parliament portfolio committee at Mcozini Primary School. On the first visit, it was during the Ministry of Justice’s visit at the inkhundla in 2020, according to Ministry of Justice Legal Advisor, Mlondi Sibandze who was also turned back by the chief at the umphakatsi on Saturday.

Justice Minister Pholile Shakantu expressed shock when called later by the Portfolio Committee Chairman (MP Dlamini) to brief her on what had transpired. The Parliament Portfolio Committee of the Ministry of Justice has already covered areas which include Sandleni and Nkwene. According to the chairman, the committee is preparing to visit the Manzini North Inkhundla whose MP is Macford Sibandze. The chairman said he was greatly disappointed by Chief Gcokoma’s action. He said the chief set a bad precedent for other chiefs. The other committee members also shared the same sentiments as the Kwaluseni MP. “We are disheartened. This is unlike a man of his calibre who is working for the Tinkhundla System to snub a Parliament portfolio committee,” said Manzini North MP Nsibandze.

Comment

When the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Shakantu was called for comment yesterday and briefed on what had transpired at the Mbelebeleni Umphakatsi, she said she was yet to consult with the committee chairman on a way forward. She asked to be sent a questionnaire so that she would give a more detailed response. Residents of Mbelebeleni, when interviewed, said they had been robbed of a rare opportunity to contribute to the enactment of the Marriage and Matrimonial Property Bills. This newspaper was able to reach the Indvuna of Mbelebeleni Khumalo for comment. He said: “The portfolio committee members were turned back because they arrived not in the company of the Mkhiweni MP who should have introduced them officially to the chief.” When informed that the Mkhiweni MP Masuku had reported that his son was on the previous day (Friday) involved in a nasty car accident, Khumalo said the MP should have relayed that message to the umphakatsi beforehand.