ACC PROBES FIREFIGHTERS RECRUITMENT

MBABANE – The ENFRES Department has seven days to submit files of the 2024 firefighters’ recruitment to the ACC.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) allegedly served the Eswatini National Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services (ENFRES) with a letter that the latter is supposed to comply with in terms of Section 11 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act No.3 of 2006. It is on record that ENFRES recruited 100 firefighters and they are currently undergoing a six-month training programme. It has been gathered that the department was served with the letter by the ACC, which is dated April 8, 2024.

Recruits

According to sources, the ACC wants the list of the hired recruits, so that it carries out an investigation into whether all the hired firefighters met all the requirements as per the advertisement, which was also published in print media last year. The sources told this publication that the department was expected to submit all particulars of the recruitment exercise; which include identification (ID) documents and qualifications of the recruits, within seven days from the day of receiving the letter.

The ACC is said to have requested the ENFRES to provide it with the personal files of the trainee firefighters.
“Your institution will also be required to provide us with affidavits outlining the provided information and any other information that would be discussed between our investigators and your officers in respect of this investigation,” reads part of the letter directed to ENFRES.

Chief Fire Officer Luke Lushaba says he is not aware of the letter purportedly served to ENFRES by the ACC.
Lushaba was contacted to ascertain if the ACC had served the department with the letter requesting particulars of the newly-recruited firefighters. The chief fire officer said he had not come across such a letter. “I have not seen a letter such as the one you are talking about,” Lushaba said.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Jabu Phakathi, said the commission operated within the confines of the law, which prohibited the disclosure of information or details of any person who was the subject of an enquiry or investigation by the ACC (Section 18 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006). “Therefore, we can neither confirm nor deny if we are investigating the fire recruitment,” said Phakathi.

ENFRES conducted a physical fitness test last year November 2023. Initially, over 15 000 emaSwati submitted their applications but later on, over 7 000 took part in the physical fitness test. This publication also reported on 12 aspiring recruits who visited the ENFRES offices in Mbabane, seeking that the recruitment be started afresh or they be employed.

Firefighters

The aggrieved aspiring firefighters are alleged to have visited the ACC and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), among others, to report their concerns. Also, 10 members of the ENFRES Culture Group were not happy with the decision taken by senior officials not to consider them for recruitment. In Parliament, Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini challenged the ENFRES to avail a list of the names of the firefighter recruits.

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