BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPM) was able to identify 34 fraudsters which have been submitted to the Police.
This was revealed in the report of the portfolio committee of the DPM’s office annual performance report for the financial year 2022/2023 and the budget estimates for the financial year 2023/2024.
When the floor was given to the Members of Parliament (MPs) and they asked questions, honorable member Mduduzi ‘Small Joe’ appreciated the informative preamble.
The Honourable Member sought clarity on the time frame, logistics and schedule of the verification exercise for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities which the Office was conducting.
He went on to suggest that the verification exercise remains open and continuous and requested that beneficiaries are not suspended for not showing up for the verification exercise.
In response to this, the DPM revealed that the verification exercise is meant to update the correct figures of the grant beneficiaries.
As a result, the verification that has been going on has been able to identify 34 fraudsters, which have been submitted to the Police.
“The Office has since suspended the verification exercise that was conducted on a nationwide scale at the Social Welfare Offices due to the torrential rains which destroyed roads making it difficult for beneficiaries to travel for purposes of being verified. The Office will issue out a schedule that aims at verifying grant beneficiaries at Chiefdom and Tinkhundla level,” said the DPM in the written response.
In addition, he said the Office welcomes and appreciates the suggestion of keeping the verification exercise open and has assured that unverified beneficiaries will not be affected in the grants that are currently being paid.
“Suspensions will not be affected on those who have not been verified. The Office has committed itself to provide means of verifying beneficiaries who are bedridden and Persons with Disabilities who are not able to travel to the verification points at a later stage,” he said in addition.
Meanwhile, in addition to his list of questions, Small Joe mentioned that the VAA report indicated a huge number of people who are food insecure.
“I want to know if the Office has a sustainable way of addressing the situation of people who are food insecure,”?
In response the DPM said ensuring food security in the country is the mandate of the Ministry of Agriculture. However, the Office has noted through the Vulnerability Assessment Analysis (VAA) that the number of people who are chronically food insecure is on the rise due to poverty and unemployment and will be taken care of.
