Some MPs assist with
MANZINI – With government coffers being low, some legislators claim to be spending in excess of E20 000 per month to assist their constituents get basic services.
The legislators were sought for comment following the challenges that were being reported by the public in various platforms, inclusive of mainstream media wherein they bemoan, among other things, the shortage of drugs in hospitals, failure by police officers to attend to criminal acts and or assist in getting bodies of deceased people to hospitals where they ought to be certified dead.
The Members of Parliament (MPs) claimed that they were spending their personal money in assisting to meet some of the demands. Mkhiweni Constituency MP Michael Masuku said his budget varied from E20 000 or slightly less, depending on what needed to be done.
Masuku said he recently offered E20 000 to assist in the upgrading of the gravel road in his constituency as government graders were often said to be out of fuel.
The MP said he had been requesting graders from various government depots but was informed that there was no fuel. He said in an effort to ensure that there was fuel for the graders, he had set aside the aforementioned amount to procure it.
Masuku further said there was now a huge challenge in the constituency as there was no person who was safe. He said this was because following the killing of police officers; the law enforcers were scared to attend to any distress calls made at night.
This, he said, was because they were not certain if the distress call was genuine or a hoax. The legislator said police officers were essential service providers whose absence was bound to result in lawlessness.
“The situation is similar everywhere and without security we are at great risk from any eventuality,” Masuku said.
Masuku said on the issue of healthcare, he was now accustomed to spending money daily as some of the senior citizens were not offered pharmaceuticals and or medication in some health facilities as they were not available.
Understanable
He said it was understandable that there were fiscal challenges emanating from the stifled economic activity as a result of COVID-19. He said the situation needed to improve though and applauded that government was addressing some of the national roads already.
Also, Lomahasha Constituency MP Ndumiso Masimula estimated to be spending E5 000 and E16 000 monthly on funding his constituents, who were in need of various government services.
He said the amounts varied because the needs of the people were not the same. The legislator said there was a challenge of late as there was an increase in the number of psychotic patients who needed to be treated at the Psychiatric National Referral Hospital in Manzini.
Masimula said for extending such help, he parted with no less than E200 as it was inclusive of transport and food for the journey. This, he said, meant that the more people needed to go to the referral hospital; a huge expense came his way as there was no medication for these patients in clinics at Lomahasha.
“It is even worse when they find that there is no medication even in Manzini. Their medication is expensive and I end up not being able to assist all those who seek help,” Masimula said.
He said the issue of fuel had resulted in some communities reinforcing community police as in often times; law enforcers were informed that there was no fuel when they sought assistance from the police.
The legislator said his chiefdom councillor had informed him that there was a community that had resolved ‘not to report any criminal issue with the police as they were not getting any assistance’.
“The number of services being provided by government is dwindling and most has to do with the political state of the country,” Masimula said.
He said the challenge was that they could not offer every member of their constituencies’ assistance as that would render them bankrupt. The lawmaker said the reality was that a dialogue should ensue in order for the nation to also offer solutions to the challenges they were facing.
Also, Somntongo Constituency MP Dumisani Mbhamali said he was out of options on what to offer those who were in need. He said the challenge was that a high number of people were left unemployed due to COVID-19 while others were destitute and were in dire need for help.
“Life has just become unbearable