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View Full Version : Ehhh .. Uproar over Swazi king's jet


Gunship
2nd Aug 2002, 18:56
:rolleyes:
Check the source here bru (http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Southern_Africa/0,1113,2-11-40_1236793,00.html)

Mbabane - The Swazi Senate on Thursday called for the arrest of Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini over the cabinet's use of development funds to purchase a $45 million luxury jet for King Mswati III, amid a food crisis that threatens one quarter of the population.

A US$20 million down payment was paid to ExecuJet, a South African firm representing Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian manufacturer of the 18-seater Global Express Bombardier corporate-style long-range jet for Mswati. To purchase the plane, the prime minister took funds earmarked by parliament to build factory shells for foreign investors and to upgrade the road infrastructure.

"Cabinet's misappropriation of these funds is a criminal act," said Senator Rowan Howe. "What will the country's image be internationally, especially because almost all the people in the Lowveld are starving?" Legally only parliament has the authority to appropriate government funds.

"This is depressing, and we are utterly demoralised," IRIN was told by the director of an international aid organisation currently scrambling to come up with funds to mitigate a food shortage that has brought one quarter of the population to the brink of starvation.

This week, UN agencies operating in Swaziland reported that US$19 million in emergency aid was needed to ensure the survival of 250 000 Swazis left without sustenance because of drought-induced crop failures.

"In terms of government expenditures, the jet's purchase price is more than double the annual health budget of US$20 million, at a time of an Aids crisis," noted a Western envoy stationed in Mbabane. "Community and social services have been budgeted only US$7 million this year, and all economic services, including money allocated to agriculture, industrial and mining sector support, transportation and communications, received US$33 million."

'To cost every Swazi R450'

Vusie Ngcamphalala, an agriculture ministry field officer, did some math, and concluded: "It works out that the airplane will cost every Swazi R450 [US $45]. Me, my wife, my grandchildren. All the starving people who are going to bed tonight without anything to eat have to come up with R450."

Dlamini defended the jet's purchase in his statement to parliament on Wednesday night read on his behalf. He said leasing a plane was more expensive, as would be Mswati's continued use of commercial flights. But critics of the large entourage that accompanies Mswati on his frequent overseas trips argue that costs could be kept down if the scores of royal relatives and friends who tag along stayed home.

Dlamini advanced an additional reason for the purchase of the plane: "The terror attacks using airplanes on September 11 made it imperative for security reasons that the king have his own plane."

While rounding on the prime minister, parliamentarians - a third of whom are palace appointees - shied away from associating the jet's purchase with its intended user, the king.

B Sousa
3rd Aug 2002, 01:40
"Dlamini advanced an additional reason for the purchase of the plane: "The terror attacks using airplanes on September 11 made it imperative for security reasons that the king have his own plane.""

Right...... like some terrorist is going to waste time and energy trying to find a country he has never heard of....
Sad state but not unexpected....Its Africa.

Doodlebug
5th Aug 2002, 15:48
Sigh... Why am I not surprised?

Yossarian
15th Aug 2002, 09:40
Only surprised that it's not something more extravagant.

Mac-krit
16th Aug 2002, 10:12
Why am I not surprised!:mad:

Gunship
22nd Oct 2002, 05:56
News 24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Southern_Africa/0,1113,2-11-40_1265374,00.html)

Swazi king won't get $55m jet

Johannesburg - Poverty-stricken Swaziland said on Monday it was scrapping plans to buy a $55 million luxury private jet for its king after they sparked an uproar.

Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini triggered outrage at home and abroad last month when he said a down payment of $2m for the plane was taken from development funds.

About 250 000 people in the tiny, landlocked kingdom are in need of urgent aid after food shortages that aid agencies blame on drought and government mismanagement.

The European Union expressed concern about the plan to buy the jet, worth a quarter of Swaziland's national budget.

"Sibusiso Dlamini has confirmed that the European Union has been given the assurance that it is not the intention of the Government of Swaziland to purchase an aircraft for use by ... the King," the prime minister's office said in a statement.

King Mswati III is sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch. He and the Queen Mother - known as the She Elephant - have the final say on all affairs of state in the hilly kingdom of about one million people.

The money was initially paid to secure the luxury Global Express jet for lease, with an option to buy.

Dlamini's office said the government would now consider leasing an aircraft, which it said would be cost efficient and improve security.

"Such an arrangement will in no way affect the current food and poverty relief programme of the Government of Swaziland and foreign donors," it said.

Last month, Dlamini said the September 11 hijacked airliner attacks in the United States had made it imperative that the king find a more secure way of travel than commercial aircraft.

Gunship
17th Nov 2002, 08:57
IOL LINK (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=84&art_id=vn20021115060142264C201694&set_id=1)

Mbabane - Chaos erupted in the House of Assembly in Mbabane on Thursday when an MP made startling allegations that 26 members of the legislature were to receive bribes in exchange for abstaining from voting on the controversial proposal to buy a R450-million jet for King Mswati III.

Ntuthuko Dlamini stunned the legislature when he said he had information that the 26 MPs were to be given R76 000 each in exchange for not voting on whether parliament should give a thumbs-up for the purchase of the jet.

The allegation by Dlamini was described as "serious" by the speaker of parliament, who added that it was a matter that needed to be investigated by police.

He also said he was taken aback by the revelation as Dlamini had not shared the information with him before presenting it before parliament.

The government now finds itself in a difficult position
More drama unfolded when a second MP, Mahlaba Mamba, stood up and said he had seen the list of MPs who were to receive bribes.

Mamba mentioned by name the MPs who were to receive the kickbacks.

The speaker tried to maintain order as chaos erupted, with boisterous MPs shouting at the top of their voices.

One MP said it was wrong for Dlamini to make the allegations in the legislature as he should have reported the matter to the police.

The allegation by Dlamini came as the Swaziland government faces increasing pressure from the international donor community to abandon its plan to buy the aircraft for the king - who now uses chartered aircraft.

This week the United States and Britain threatened to withdraw foreign aid to the tiny country should the governement forge ahead with its plan to buy the R450-million jet.

When the cabinet presented the plan to acquire the aircraft to parliament, the House of Assembly rejected it and on Thursday the ministers were to have presented a redrafted version of the plan to the legislatures, but they (ministers) snubbed the sitting.

They are reported to have attended a three-day indaba to deliberate on the issue.

As the controversy over the aircraft gets murkier by the day, it is claimed that the government now finds itself in a difficult position.

The aviation company, Bombardier Aerospace, which is handling the deal, has made it clear that the government would forfeit a R28-million deposit and penalties would be imposed in the event of the deal being cancelled.

The cabinet was expected to present its second report on the jet this week and all eyes will be on whether the assembly will approve it this time.
http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/chimp.gif

B Sousa
17th Nov 2002, 12:10
How about this.Something I overheard from someone with a Cold Castles in hand............How about feeding the Poor to the Hungry......

Gunship
19th Nov 2002, 21:25
News 24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/0,1113,2-11_1286827,00.html)

Mbabane - The Swaziland parliament on Monday decided to appoint a select committee to examine the merits and circumstances surrounding the controversial decision to purchase King Mswati III a new Bombardier Global Express executive jet.

The decision followed an inconclusive seven-hour debate over the $45m deal in the small kingdom's parliament.

Five members of the house of assembly, three senators and two cabinet ministers will serve on the committee and report back to the lawmaker.

A Sapa correspondent reported that both those for and those against the purchase in the end agreed that they could not decide the merits of the acquisition in the absence of proper information and supporting documents.

Those opposed to the acquisition say the money would be better spent on feeding the country's hungry.

Swaziland is currently suffering from a drought and is also in the grip of the HIV/Aids pandemic that has gripped most of Southern Africa in a stranglehold. :eek:

Gunship
5th Dec 2002, 21:35
News 24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,1113,2-11-1447_1294103,00.html)

Mbabane - The United States may ban the king of Swaziland from touching down on US soil if he buys a $45 million private luxury jet while the poor of his tiny African kingdom go hungry, diplomatic sources said on Thursday.

A US diplomatic source told Reuters Swaziland's ambassador to the United States, Mary Khanya, had returned home to communicate an urgent message after a discussion about a possible ban on the jet landing in the United States.

"It is my understanding that other nations have also discussed this," the source added.

The Times of Swaziland quoted a message from Washington to King Mswati III, transmitted through Khanya, warning that the planned purchase would also jeopardise US aid and trade.

Mswati's decision to buy the jet while many of his million or so subjects go hungry has raised a storm of protest at home and abroad against his absolute power, and a row over his right to override parliament has triggered a legal crisis.

Six appeal court judges resigned en masse at the weekend, High Court judges have refused to preside over cases, lawyers are threatening to strike and a coalition of pro-democracy groups has called for a mass work stayaway later this month.

The Times said the United States had also threatened not to help Mswati launch a compact disc to raise funds to fight Aids, featuring US artists like Jennifer Lopez and R Kelly. The CD's producers say Mswati is to meet US President George W Bush at the White House when it is launched in March.

Hit by drought, one in four Swazi people depend on foreign food aid, and a third of adults have HIV or Aids. US trade benefits have helped boost Swazi manufacturing and cut unemployment from 45% to 40% this year.

But Khanya warned Swaziland may lose US trade privileges and forfeit US donor assistance because these are tied to "good governance, respect for rule of law, sound economic policies and economic stability", the Times reported.

A Swazi chamber of commerce has estimated the full cost of Mswati's jet will rise to $72 million once pilots' salaries, landing fees and other expenses are taken into account.

Swaziland's parliament vetoed plans to buy the jet, but was overruled by Mswati's palace and is due to reconvene for further debate on the subject.

A Western diplomat said palace officials had shrugged off criticism and were busy buying china for the royal :rolleyes: cabin - as well as an anti-missile :eek: security system for the new plane.