Members of Parliament have called for a probe by both the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Appolo Maphalala and the ministry’s portfolio committee into allegations of administrative bottlenecks at the Municipal Council of Mbabane.
The legislators also want a report on the findings of the investigation tabled within 14 days.
The decision was taken by MPs yesterday during the debate on the first-quarter performance report of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in Parliament.
Hhohho Regional MP Tanele Magagula said Mbabane was dying a silent death while people were making noise about progress that was not there.
She said the roads in Mbabane were being patched with sand and were riddled with potholes. She said, however, that people were posting as if there was something constructive happening in the city.
“Where is the money that is collected during the consumer fair going, and who is responsible for that? We would not be Parliament if we do not attend to the issues that we are reading about in the newspapers. This does not paint the country well. I have questions about what we are reading in the media, and as a portfolio we have no idea of what is happening there,” she said.
MP Magagula said the report by the ministry should be adopted only after the committee had investigated and uncovered what was happening at the Municipal Council of Mbabane.
She also asked if there was a report on the case of the suspended official, and further asked if the council had a legal adviser.
“There are allegations that two days after the official was suspended, another candidate was in office and using the laptop that had been used by the same official. You need to follow procedures and cannot just wake up and suspend people. Do we have legal advisers at the council? The report should be adopted after the portfolio committee investigated what is happening at the Municipal Council of Mbabane,” she said.
Phondo MP Bonginkosi Dube said he was concerned about the issue, alleging that procedures to suspend a person had not been followed.
He further revealed that one of the charges relates to something the suspended public relations officer did in 2025. He said this implied that council workers were working while holding grudges, adding that this would affect service delivery in the city.
“This is tainting the reputation of the minister, while the workers of the council are fighting each other. What we are hearing in Mbabane is shocking,” he said.
He also asked that the portfolio committee uncover all the problems at the council before the report by the ministry was passed.
He said they were interested in the truth, and not to pretend as if everything was going accordingly while they were hearing shocking allegations.
Dube also asked if the ministry and councils were using the same legal advisers, and if the council had been advised on the suspension of its public relations officer.
Meanwhile, Mtfongwaneni MP Nathi Hlophe said he had been frustrated when he heard of employees who were not working well with management, but was relieved when the council management clarified what was actually happening at the council.
“I, however, wish that there would be clarity so that the nation can be brought into the light. I hope that this will be addressed so that we live in harmony,” he said.
WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE CEO – PORTFOLIO CHAIR
Ministry of Housing Portfolio Committee Chairperson Sabelo Ndlangamandla said they had confidence in Municipal Council Chief Executive Officer Gciniwe Fakudze and that the council would amicably resolve the matter, as the charges were also minor.
The chairperson said these were issues that should have been addressed by the councillors and not publicised.
He said he was not against what the MPs were saying, but asked that the minister institute an urgent investigation into the reported administrative bottlenecks at the Municipal Council of Mbabane.
He said the minister should table the report within 14 days.
He said they did not want to pre-empt the outcome, as the report would also boost confidence and trust in the municipality.
“It would be best to investigate what is happening there because we cannot say the CEO is at fault, or the one who is being charged. Looking at the charge sheet, we cannot say who is wrong, but I ask that the minister investigate the matter,” he said.
