Minister of Education and Training and Manzini South Member of Parliament Owen Nxumalo says legislators cannot be pre-occupied with investigating The Luke Commission (TLC) when they should be turning their attention towards campaigning for the 2028 elections.
Nxumalo argued that investigations should be left to institutions such as the auditor-general and Public Accounts Committee (PAC), while legislators focused on ensuring that Emaswati received medicines and healthcare services.
“There is the auditor-general, there is the Public Accounts Committee. Those people should be the ones doing that work,” Nxumalo said during debate in the House of Assembly.
“We cannot be busy investigating. We should be campaigning; there is no time to investigate. We should only speak the language of taking medicines instead of stopping medicines. Will we win the elections if we concern ourselves and busy ourselves with investigating institutions?” he said.
His comments came as MPs debated a motion calling on the Minister of Health to investigate allegations of exorbitant fees charged by TLC despite substantial government financial support to the Sidvokodvo-based health institution.
Nxumalo’s position followed a spirited defence of TLC by Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo, who argued that there was a movement with an agenda to cripple and ultimately destroy the institution.
Khumalo questioned claims surrounding the amount of public funding TLC had received, arguing that MPs should conduct their research before presenting figures to Parliament.
“Do your research and do not feed us things that are not the truth,” Khumalo said, disputing claims that TLC had received the full E50 million referred to during the debate.
The motion, moved by Matsanjeni South MP Sabelo Ndlangamandla and seconded by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba, sought an investigation into allegations that TLC was charging Emaswati high fees despite receiving substantial government support.
Ndlangamandla rejected suggestions that the motion was part of an attempt to undermine TLC, maintaining that the institution had done good work but should still face scrutiny over the concerns raised.
The parliamentary debate comes amid far more serious allegations against TLC following representations by 26 former employees, who have taken their concerns to government.
Prime Minister Russell Dlamini recently told senators that the former employees had approached his office with allegations he found shocking. Among the claims highlighted by the PM were allegations that some personnel were presented to patients as doctors despite not being qualified, that patients were prescribed medication intended for animals and that some admissions were unnecessarily prolonged, allegedly resulting in patients paying higher fees.
Former employees have also alleged ill-treatment of staff. The allegations remain unproven and TLC has maintained its innocence, urging that the claims be subjected to appropriate lawful processes to determine their validity.
Nxumalo’s position that MPs should not be occupied with investigating institutions, however, contrasts with the position expressed by the prime minister, who assured senators that government would look into the allegations.
“It is a lot and includes ill-treatment of staff, which reminds one of the oppression time under colonial rule, and we would look into it,” the PM said.
The premier made the undertaking after Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini questioned whether taxpayers were receiving value for the millions of Emalangeni directed towards TLC, particularly amid concerns about what patients were being charged. She also questioned whether the institution submitted audited financial statements to government to account for the public resources it received.
Nxumalo, however, maintained that such investigative work should be undertaken by the institutions established to perform that function rather than consuming legislators’ time as the country moves closer to another election cycle.
