A planned signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Municipal Council of Mbabane, Mbabane East Inkhundla and Mbabane West Inkhundla was met with unexpected resistance after Mbabane West MP Jane Mkhonta-Simelane refused to sign the agreement, citing a lack of consultation and transparency.
The signing ceremony, which was expected to formalise cooperation between the municipal council and the two constituencies on development initiatives, was disrupted when Mkhonta-Simelane raised concerns about the process leading up to the agreement.
She stated that neither she nor her constituency had been adequately informed about the contents or implications of the MoU.
Mkhonta-Simelane emphasised that as a public representative, her primary responsibility was to the people of Mbabane West and she could not, in good conscience, endorse a document that had not been presented to them for input.
“I work for the people,” she said, adding that any agreement affecting the constituency must first be discussed with residents to ensure their views were considered.
According to Mkhonta-Simelane, the situation stemmed from a breakdown in communication among stakeholders within her constituency. She revealed that she had not been aware that the meeting was intended to culminate in a formal signing.
Instead, she had understood it to be a consultative session aimed at discussing how the parties could collaborate on development matters.
“I believed we were coming to engage and map way forward together, not to sign a document that the people I represent have not seen or contributed to,” she said.
Despite her refusal to sign, Mkhonta-Simelane quickly clarified that she was not opposed to development initiatives.
Rather, she stressed the importance of following proper procedures to avoid public backlash and ensure that projects genuinely reflected the needs and aspirations of the community.
Her stance highlights growing concerns around governance processes and the need for inclusive decision-making locally.
She further noted that while partnerships between municipalities and constituencies were essential for driving development, their success often depended on transparency and community involvement.
