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ESTVA’S E115M DEBT ESCALATED UNDER MAZIYA’S WATCH - MINISTER

21/09/2022 09:23:00 Kwanele Dlamini

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MBABANE – ICT Minister Princess Sikhanyiso did not appoint Kenneth Maziya as ESTVA Acting CEO because the debt of E115 million continued to escalate while he was the chief financial officer.

The minister of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) said her ministry was concerned with the challenges faced by the television station, ‘particularly the enormous debt of E115 000 000, being the build-up of Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) and wage bill that has alarmingly increased, surpassing the government subvention’. The ministry, according to Princess Sikhanyiso, noted that Maziya occupied the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the last four years, which was the period in which the debt continued to escalate. She said it was against this backdrop that the ministry put aside the Eswatini Television Authority’s (ESTVA) preferred candidate, Maziya, and appointed Andreas Dlamini as the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Document

This is contained in a document titled ‘Appointment of Andreas Dlamini as Acting Chief Executive Officer of ESTVA’, dated August 15, 2022. It has been attached to the ESTVA Board’s answering affidavit filed in the Industrial Court, in the matter in which Maziya took the minister and Andreas to the court. Maziya is seeking an order, among others, that the minister confirms him as the acting CEO for a period consistent with the Public Enterprise Unit (PEU) Act and general practice. Princess Sikhanyiso referred to the last recruitment report dated November 1, 2021 and said she had applied her mind and came to the conclusion that the report did not produce a qualifying candidate for the advertised position. She stated that the scores for the first two candidates were both 83.3 per cent, which made it difficult for the ministry to appoint the CEO. The report, according to the minister, should have stated clearly who the first and second candidate was.

The minister said the consultant, SAMKHO Consulting, should have gone even deeper and selected the rightful candidate by experience, number of years in the broadcasting/television industry, qualifications and any other added advantage that would make the candidate outstanding. “As things stand, there is a real potential for the report to be challenged in court should I choose any of the two candidates,’ wrote the minister. She also stated that both candidates did not meet the qualifying criteria, which was a Master’s Degree in Business Administration or equivalent, as set out in the advert that was published by the recruiting company. “It is amazing that the recruitment agency did not comply with the advert and requirements of the position. The Board and agency should have indentified this anomaly, however, that was not the case,” she further pointed out. Princess Sikhanyiso also said the nominated officer, Andreas, who was the Director of the Communications Department, was an erstwhile member of the ESTVA Board.

Experience

“He has vast experience in television broadcasting as he is primarily responsible for the transmission network in which the station sends its signal. The Digital Television Transmission (DTT) function is the responsibility of the directorate he leads in the ministry. “He has worked in the industry for 20 years. The Ministry of ICT is confident that the officer will perform well to the task at hand. He was leader and manager of the Digital Migration Project. “This project requires a lot of skill-set ranging from leading a team of engineers, managing diverse stakeholders in government and the private sector, including management of procurement processes as well as negotiations with suppliers, both local and foreign,” the princess said.
The Chairperson of the ESTVA Board, Bongani Musa Dlamini, said the fact that the Board recommended Maziya for the position of acting CEO, did not mean that Minister Princess Sikhanyiso was bound to follow their recommendation. Bongani was responding to Maziya’s application to set aside the appointment of Andreas as Acting ESTVA CEO.

According to Bongani, Maziya would be misleading the court if he suggested that he expected to be confirmed into the position. The chairperson stated that Princess Sikhanyiso gave reasons for rejecting the recommendations of the Board to appoint Maziya. He also told the court that Maziya had not applied for the position of CEO and that this confirmed that there was no promise made to him suggesting that he would be confirmed into the position.

Suitable

According to Bongani, the recruitment exercise had been completed and as far as the minister was concerned, after careful consideration, she came to the conclusion that Maziya was not the rightful or suitable candidate for the position. In his founding papers, Maziya told the court that around September 2021, the Board engaged SAMKHO Consulting to undertake the recruitment exercise for the position of CEO. He said when the position was re-advertised, he applied for it. He said the recruitment exercise was finalised in November 2021 and the consultant submitted its report to the ESTVA Board. The consultant, according to Maziya, ranked the candidates and recommended in the following order: Kenneth Maziya, Mncedisi Mayisela, Phesheya Dube and Titus Mavimbela.

Maziya stated that by a resolution taken by the Board on the November 15, 2021, the Board adopted the recommendation of the consultant that he, as the top-ranking candidate, be appointed to the position of CEO. Maziya said the situation allegedly created by the minister in appointing the Andreas would result in chaos, confusion and disorder to both Andreas and the employees of ESTVA. The matter will be argued on tomorrow. Maziya is represented by Thabiso Mavuso of MotsaMavuso Attorneys. Banele Gamedze of Musa M. Sibandze represents the ESTVA Board and Andreas while Principal Crown Counsel Vikinduku Manana appears on behalf of the minister.