BY MBONO MDLULI
LOBAMBA – An opinion that fines that were made by certain officials should not be inherited by new ones was unaccepted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The opinion was expressed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Principal Secretary (PS) Sizwe Ntshangase. This was during the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s appearance before the PAC on April 7, 2025 in the House of Assembly. During the session, it appeared that Ntshangase had to answer on audit queries that were detected way before he occupied his current position.
It also transpired that there were fines preferred against his predecessors, which Ntshangase now had to pay because he inherited everything that was left by the previous PSs. That was when Ntshangase suggested that an official should be responsible for mistake he or she had made, not those that were made by others before him.
MP Tsembeni Magongo felt as if Ntshangase was avoiding responsibilities. Magongo reminded Ntshangase that it had been procedural for an official to inherit everything that he found in his new position. This was because such a procedure promoted progress as far as service delivery was concerned. The legislator felt as if Ntshangase had to withdraw his statement.
Other MPs who are members of the PAC shared the same sentiments with MP Magongo. Gege MP Magesi Dlamini mentioned that he understood that Ntshangase was only expressing his opinion, as it allowed in the House. However, he was also not of the view that was expressed by the PS, stating that it would not be procedural if Ntshangase’s suggestion was to be allowed.
Ntshangase responded by clarifying before the committee that he was not trying to avoid responsibility by making this suggestion. He reminded the PAC that during the session, he would highlight that the committee did a good job in guiding them, while they were doing their job as a Ministry. To further prove that he was not running away from his responsibilities, Ntshangase showed a receipt to the committee, showing that he had paid a fine, which he inherited. The receipt was duly taken from his desk and submitted to the committee.
