Electricity scheme’s E130k missing, member flees

MBABANE – 104 members of Tfutfuka S’gcuma Group 2 Electricity Scheme are said to be ‘living in the dark’ after their money went missing.

It has been gathered from sources that, members of the scheme, under =ombodze Emuva Inkhundla lost E130 000 after it was allegedly mismanaged by a member of their scheme.

The incident is alleged to have happened two years ago.

Members of the scheme alleged that the person in charge of finances used it for personal gain, while some of it was loaned out to members.

As a result, it has been difficult to recoup the money and most of them still have no electrical power connection to their homes.

They claimed they did not even know if they would get their money back, since the person responsible allegedly fled to South Africa (SA).

One member of the scheme said ³We want our money, we want to connect our homes with electricity, something which we longed for. &urrently, we need to beg from other homesteads just to charge our cellphones,´ said an aggrieved member of the scheme.

Another member alleged that they had been receiving empty promises, in as far as getting their money back was concerned.

One member said information that was relayed to them was that their money was kept in one of the banks.

Expressed

He, however, expressed his disappointment of not being appraised with the latest developments regarding their finances.

³We were later told that the person who is the custodian of monies left the country for SA. This is a painful moment in our lives,´ the man lamented.

Another Tfutfuka S’gcuma Group 2 Electricity Scheme member alleged that the person who had been tasked with monitoring their funds came forward and confessed to using the money for personal gain and lent some to those who needed it.

A member of the scheme wanted to know why the individual tasked with handling their money failed to bank it.

According to the distressed woman, some of them already purchased electric appliances with the hope that their homesteads would be counted among those connected with electricity, but things never went as planned.

“Sashayelwa esakeni ngokukholwa,´she lamented.

On another note, =odwa Thwala, Tfutfuka S’gcuma Group 2 Electricity Scheme Public Relations Officer (PRO) alleged that the person who was the custodian of their money confessed to using the funds.

³We last saw this person the day after confessing to utilising all the E130 000 for personal gain. We did not know what to do since then. How will the matter proceed in court if this person is nowhere to be found" How are we going to get our money back"´ asked Thwala.