MBABANE – The Mbabane Municipal Council and eBet CEO Bonginkhosi Lukhele have dismissed allegations of a E2 million bribery scandal involving Minister Jane Simelane.
The remarks were made during a press conference held at the Nkwalini Social Centre, where council officials sought to address what they described as widespread misinformation.
The briefing was attended by Mbabane City Council Mayor Thulani Mkhonto, Mbabane Municipal Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gciniwe Fakudze, Director of Public Health Alfred Khehla Adams, eBet CEO Bonginkhosi Lukhele and other stakeholders.
The allegations claim that Minister Simelane, who also serves as Member of Parliament(MP) for Mbabane West Inkhundla, received E2 million from eBet in exchange for facilitating a betting licence.
The claims are believed to have originated from reports published by online publication Swaziland News which linked the minister to a broader gambling licensing controversy. According to the reports, the alleged payment was disguised as a donation routed through the Mbabane Municipality as part of efforts to secure a betting licence.
The reports further connect the matter to disputes surrounding the Eswatini Gaming and Control Board’s handling of eBet’s licence application, particularly after initial resistance from competing operators.
However, the council rejected these claims, explaining that confusion arose from the minister’s presence during the signing of an agreement involving eBet and the municipality.
Fakudze clarified that the minister attended the event in place of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which was responsible for the agreement, but was not represented at the time.
“The minister was delivering a speech on behalf of the minister for Housing and Urban Development, who was not available at that time.” Fakudze said.
She further stressed that eBet’s financial contributions to the municipality are unrelated to the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, which is headed by Simelane.
According to Fakudze, eBet contributes E60 000 monthly to support six social centres under the municipality, while the council itself manages a total of nine centres.
These centres, located at Nkwalini, Makholokholo, Sidwashini, Bahai, Fontein, and Mahwalala, collectively support approximately 1 150 children, providing them with two meals a day.
She added that eBet’s support has also enabled the municipality to fund tuition for at least 15 students, while others have benefitted from school uniforms.
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EBet CEO Bonginkhosi Lukhele (L) and Mbabane Municipal Council CEO Gciniwe Fakudze during a press briefing at Nkwalini Social Centre. (Pics: Mandlenkosi Groening)