RDF contributions decreasing rapidly

MBABANE – “The involvement and contribution from communities in cash or in kind towards projects implemented through the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Micro Projects are decreasing at a rapid rate.”

7his is according to 0icro 3roMects 'i rector 6ibusiso 0bingo who made this submission before the 3ublic $ccounts

Committee 3$C during the 0inistry of (conomic 3lanning and 'evelopment¶s sitting on 7uesday

,n his audit report for the $uditor *eneral 7imothy 0atsebula reported that the ministry flouted the Community 'evelopment 6pecial )und C'6) regulations when implementing three proMects these being the upgrading of 0oneni /wandle Road 1gwempisi /ow /evel Crossing and construction of 7ingodvweni 0ashweni Road 7he regulations stated that proMects under this fund should not e[ceed ( and the community should contribute per cent towards the proMect

+owever during implementation of the cited proMects the communities contrib uted as low as per cent and some of the proMects were funded for as high as over ( million

,n response the 3rincipal 6ecretary¶ 36 in the ministry 7habsile 0langeni said the ministry long noted the issue of the ( and reTuested the 0inistry of )inance to amend the regulations to increase the ceiling but the process was still ongoing /o]itha 0ember of 3arliament 03 3rince 0fanawenNhosi when maNing a submission on the matter said the controlling officer had not given an in depth e[planation on the resolution on the contribution

³7here will be continuous shortfalls when it comes to proMects done in com munities if the issue of flouting regula tions is not addressed ´ he said

,n response the 36 said the issue with the ( pointed to the fact that it was near impossible to use Must that amount in certain proMects in this day and age

³7he review of the regulations will enable the worNing of 0icro 3roMects to be smoother and relevant to the current time period ,n terms of contribution from communities we have noted that areas or communities are not the same whereas some people can raise the per cent others cannot ´ she said

0langeni said the reviewing of the regulations would also looN at this in that it would ensure that the difference in financial capacity between communities where these proMects were implemented was put into consideration