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How young politicians fared

03/08/2013 03:11:00 BY BONISILE MAKHUBU

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MBABANE – The country has had both young and old politicians who have contributed immensely to the formulation of legislations.
Some have been in Parliament for up to 15 years while others went in just once and never returned.

Both houses of Parliament have had members who are in the age region of 25 to 40 years, whom the newspaper has classified as young.
These include Public Works and Transport Minister Ntuthuko Dlamini who made his first term as Lamgabhi MP at the tender age of 20.
He even made headlines in the South African weekly magazine, Drum as the youngest politician.

Landed

He has been in and out of the House until this current term where he landed the Ministry of Public Works and Transport post.
Other young MPs went straight into Parliament shortly after completing tertiary and working outside the political scope for only a short while.

These are former Kwaluseni MP Sibusiso Nkambule, Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Hlobisile Ndlovu who is serving the people of Pigg’s Peak for the second term.

The Swazi News decided to share with the readers the background, achievements and some of the issues that landed the young politicians into the spotlight.

Mkhululi Dlamini – Hhukwini MP, 32 years old
He holds a Degree in Agriculture and is actively practising farming.

Spotlight:
l    He was tried in the court of public opinion when people from his area lambasted him for doing a disservice.
l    The MP recently received criticism from his constituents who said they had last seen him in 2008 after he was elected as Hhukwini MP.

Achievements:
l    He pays for some children’s school fees from his pocket.
l    He continues to fight hard for a water project.
l    He has made strides in     electrification projects.

Assessment by his constituents: 86 per cent.

What he says:
“The most challenging thing about my goal has been dealing with the mindset of the people. It is not just in my constituency where people seem to believe that everything they receive from their MP should be free.
However, if anything is viewed as a handout it cannot be sustainable, it should be viewed as an injection rather than a handout.
Another challenge is that I have realised that you cannot count on government officials to make things smoother for you, if I had a constituency office I would be able to keep tabs on what is happening at constituency level without compromising my parliamentary duties. There is also the issue of what government officers perceive our job to be versus what the constituents expect from us.”

Mduduzi Magagula – Hlane 36 years old

Spotlight: None

Achievements:
l    Construction of a clinic in Khuphuka which has been officially opened.
l    Accommodation for nurses is currently being built and the official opening has been earmarked to take place before the end of the term.

What he says:
“When we go about our duties we discover that some offices have been told not to offer us (MPs) any assistance. When two bulls fight it is the grass that suffers.”
Our only letdown in this regard is the location of the Inkhundla centre because it is at the edge of the constituency where there are no homesteads, just sugarcane fields, so it is difficult for the people to reach it.
The fuel shortage has been a major letdown and hindrance to the way we execute our duties. For example in Khuphuka we constructed a clinic and needed the Ministry of Health officials to come and inspect it to determine whether it was up to standard or not. This challenge is linked to the general shortage of funds. I think the Anti-Abuse Unit which looks into the abuse of government vehicles should be more vigilant as well.”

Hlobisile Ndlovu – Pigg’s Peak MP, late 30s
Ndlovu is a journalist, having attained a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Swaziland.
She has been an MP since 2003, during a term in which she was appointed Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Regional Development and Youth Affairs which was headed by the late Chief Sipho Shongwe.

Spotlight:
l    Formulation of the Sports Policy without consulting stakeholders.
l    Delayed payment of Tindlamu manufacturers.
l    Marriage and divorce to Pastor Sam Fidelis.
l    Statements uttered on women saying NO when they meant YES.
l    Posts made on the Facebook social network.
l    Not fixing Somhlolo lights despite the annual E1 million budget for the lights.
l    Failure to account for money spent on Zone Six Games in 2010.

Achievements:
l    Is personally paying school fees         for over 40 pupils in schools in         the Hhohho region.
l    Electricity project in             Luhlangotsini which cost         approximately E1.7 million
l    A school was constructed to curb         the high drop out rate.

Assessment by her constituents: 60 per cent.

What she says:
“I have always been passionate about the welfare of the youth which includes their right to an education as well.
It is for this reason that most of the priorities of the constituency team this term, funds permitting, were centred on education. Another priority was the electrification of the partly rural constituency.
In the constituency it was the economic knock we felt when certain companies which employed a lot of the constituents were shut down.
This also resulted in the number of pupils dropping out of schools increasing so this was another motivating factor for us to prioritise education.”

Patrick Gamedze – Mtfongwaneni MP, 40 years old
Worked as a Marketing Manager at Professional Consultancy Centre. He counts his many years in the private sector as the perfect grooming for the thick skin required in politics, admits that his political experience has not been without its challenges.
Challenges: Among them he mentioned the public’s understanding of the role of an MP, or lack thereof.

Spotlight: None

Highlights:
l    Uniform sponsorship from MVA for Rural Health Motivators (Bagcugcuteli).
l    Wheelchairs, crutches and blankets from social partners for disabled and the elderly.
l    Borehole with hand pump donation to a community from Korean friends of Lions.
l    Sourced gardening fencing and tools donations to a Youth Group from Development partners.
l    Gundvwini High School Building Material.
l    Assisted funding the construction of a water reservoir tank for one of the community projects.

What he says:
“It is difficult to judge someone on their performance when you do not know what it is they are supposed to be ‘performing’.
Serving during a term when the economic downturn had the world in its grip was a serious challenge for all the MPs. Though I managed to solicit external funding from international partners it was difficult to be as effective as one hoped.
In Parliament it has been the lack of resources, in other countries MPs have personal assistants and researchers to help them when they get Order Papers so that they know what they are dealing with when they get to Parliament. The lack of legal counsel is also a challenge.
Although great strides have been made in the constituency regarding access to amenities there is still room for a lot of improvement with water access in the area. The constituency could also do with accessible health services.”

Assessment by his constituents: 88 per cent.

Veli Shongwe – MP Ngwemphisi, 39 years old

Spotlight: None.
Achievements:
l    Solicited funding amounting to about E800 000 for building material for four schools.
l    Sukumani Mponono Water     Scheme
l    An electricity scheme which cost     E210 080
l    A grazing land in the     Lushikishini chiefdom which     cost E171 370

Nelisiwe Shongwe – Senator and former Minister for ICT, around 40
Shongwe, who is also a pastor, was a vegetable vendor at the Mbabane Market where she delivered to stockists. She was then appointed Senator and it was her first term in Parliament.
She became Minister for ICT.

Spotlight:
l    Her arrest after her company, Jenny Investment allegedly defrauded the Regional Development Fund (RDF).
l    She was found guilty of colluding with a government accountant who awarded her company a tender she had not tendered for.
l    The attachment of her house for a debt she failed to settle.
l    Her reluctance in disbanding the SPTC Board.

Achievements:
Most of the policies she was working on came into fruition during the time of her successor, Winnie Magagula after she had left.

Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze – Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Gamedze was a Senator when he was appointed Minister for Home Affairs, before a reshuffle that landed him in the Justice Ministry. He is Chief of Madlenya in the Lubombo region.
Gamedze worked at the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications’ Accounts Department. Before he became a politician.

Spotlight: None.

Ntuthuko Dlamini – MP Lamgabhi, 40 years old
He began his political career 20 years ago when he was 20 years old. The MP who also served as the Minister of Public Works and Transport is currently pursuing a Diploma in Law at the University of Swaziland.
He said he found himself having to suspend a lot of his educational pursuits because there was no time to spare during his previous two terms as an MP.
He was a Science and Maths teacher at Emvimbeko High School (2006 to 2008)
Spotlight:
l    His ban from talking to the     media after the test-driving     saga.
l    He was taken to court for     maintenance by the mother of his two children who is     South African.
l    He was engaged in a physical fight with Lobamba MP along the Parliament corridors.

Achievements:
l    230 homesteads benefit from the Dvudvusini Electricity Scheme which was completed in 2012.
l    Six bridges were built throughout Ndzabeni and residents say they have made navigating one’s way around the chiefdom much better.
l    Dvudvusini Dip Tank which had stopped operating after the Ministry of Agriculture declared it was not up to standard was revived after the constituency received a donation of E5 000 from SAPPI and government gave logs for its reconstruction.
l    Funding for the umphakatsi came from the Regional Development Fund and cost E180 000.
l    Zone One and Zone Three electricity schemes in Luhleko.
l    KaLudaka Bridge and Ingcebo Yalabasha Sewing Project.
l    42 homesteads benefit from Hlanguta Electricity Scheme.
l    LaMgabhi Water Project which provides water to the whole chiefdom approximately 700 homesteads benefit from it as well the at inkhundla and several schools.
l    Two bridges were constructed in the chiefdom, the inkhundla provided the material and the people used it to build the bridges themselves under the guidance of a technician from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
l    Roofing material for Ekuthuleni AEC Primary School.

What he says:
“I don’t know what they thought I knew about politics at that age but I was extremely honoured and intented on doing a good job should I win,” He said nostalgically. As the MP reminisced about his debut into politics he said he was amazed when he won by an overwhelming margin. He served two consecutive terms before constituents opted for another candidate. I hope my work will speak for me and they nominate me, if they do I will do my best and campaign to win.”