BY MBONO MDLULI
LOBAMBA – Civil servants found to have been reckless with public funds will now face a fine of E20 000, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has announced.
This was revealed on April 9, 2025, by Nhlambeni Member of Parliament (MP) Manzi Zwane, who chaired the PAC session in the House of Assembly. The announcement came during the appearance of the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development before the PAC.
Zwane stated that under the Public Finance Management Act, the PAC will have the authority to impose a fine of E20 000 on any official found guilty of mismanaging government funds. He emphasized that financial maladministration has continued unchecked within the civil service, with public money regularly disappearing.
The MP noted that until now, only controlling officers were fined—typically just E400—for any discovered maladministration. He said the consistent disregard for the Public Finance Management Act when dealing with public funds must be addressed. Zwane expressed optimism that the strengthened enforcement of the Act would achieve this.
Addressing Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Principal Secretary (PS) Nonhlanhla Dlamini, who serves as the ministry’s controlling officer, Zwane pointed out that individuals in such positions were often held accountable for the wrongdoing of others. He said some officers deliberately broke the law, knowing that the consequences would fall on the controlling officers.
Zwane also disclosed that the PAC would be reviewing the current E400 fine for controlling officers, describing it as too minimal. In a lighthearted remark, he said controlling officers had become too comfortable paying the E400 penalty, which underscored the need to increase the fine.
