18/11/2022
EXPOSED: Jesus Calls Worship Centre Accountant's corruption at Enviro Applied Product (Pty) Ltd
BY SICELO VILANE
The Swazi Star 🌟 News - 18 November 2022
Simunye: A prominent member of the JCW in Matsapha has been implicated in serious corruption scandals that engulfed Enviro Applied Product in Simunye. She is part of the accountants team at JCW.
Setsabile Nsibandze, this reporter tried several times to reach for a comment on the allegations against her, but couldn't respond to questionnaire sent to her. Direct calls were made to her number but she couldn't pick as she dropped every call made by this reporter.
Enviro Applied Product (Pty) Ltd is a company manufacturing and supplying liquid manure to mainly big sugar cane companies as well as small scale sugar cane farmers.
Nsibandze is Administration Manager at Enviro Applied Product headquartered at Simunye, opposite the sugar mill.
She arrived at the company around 2014. According to information sourced to this reporter is to the effect that upon her arrival, employees at the company were enjoying every bit of happines to being Enviro employees. They claim life was rosy as almost all benefits were at their disposal.
However, when Nsibandze arrived, she immediately stopped hiring of employees on a permanent stance using an open, transparent process. She brought her own relatives and church-mates from outside the company and hired them permanently or either long term contracts. Well, she found that the company had a standing policy which allowed employees to access bank loans, and the company had an account which assisted its employees with finances especially with school fees for their children which was accessible every January to all employees. She, upon arrival changed that practice and closed every chance for employees to access bank loans.
Information related to this online publication is that, upon closing Banks's doors against employees, she introduced herself as a loan shark forcing Enviro employees to borrow money from her everytime when in need of. She scrapped off the school fees account offered by the company, and advised employees to seek assistance with her. She is said to had informed the employees that the new loan scheme was an organisation which belongs to the employees themselves, however she couldn't be open as she didn't tell them the name of the organisation, how many members it has, and who the executive members are. Instead, according to the workers she would become very angry and aggressive when questioned about it.
Asked if they do participate in the organ's activities like meetings and so on, the employees claim since she informed them about it not even a single meeting, report ever took place. It's now over 6 years since it all began.
"Yemntfwanebantfu tsine sesanaka umsebenti lomuntfu loya watsi uyamtsintsa uvele akutjele kutsi angeke akuvusele igontilaki yakho ngoba unemlomo. Mangihluphekile ngicondza kuye ngiboleke imali atenteleke lakwentako akusanendzaba" narrated one of the employees (can't be revealed for now).
Heartless as it seem, owing employees would have their salaries deducted as per agreement all along up until december when seasonal contracts elapse, she will deduct twice or thrice the normal amount and once they complain she threatens to not renew their contracts.
"Our contracts are automatically renewed there is no way they wouldn't renew it. Their problem is that they don't want to hire us permanent as it comes with costs, they told us that long time ago even before madam arrived. Our jobs are guaranteed hence we don't understand how come she always deduct extra in december knowing that it's a busy month. We complain she threatens us" stated an employee.
At some point, due to the changed working environment at the company the employees decided to choose and join a trade union which will fight alongside them as the situation within the company continued to deteriorate under Nsibandze's leadership. Indeed SAPWU (Swaziland Agricultural and Plantations Workers Union) was chosen and forms were delivered, unfortunately the very same Nsibandze intercepted the membership joining process and fired 7 workshop employees who were at the forefront leading the recruitment process. Their case is still pending with the office of the Labour Commissioner.
..Is she looting company funds?
Well, Nsibandze's shenanigans and forced power began, as we were told, 7 years ago when she arrived at the company and intercepted financial mismanagement acts by the former Administration Manager (whom she replaced) together with the General Manager Fred Neemez. It is alleged, it was a very serious mismanagement, however Nsibandze instead of reporting and dealing with it decided to use it to her advantage to overpower the GM and capture the whole company.
According to those closer to the whole saga, the GM lost his authority and power after that scandal. He is just carrying the name tag of GM otherwise he exhaust no powers, he is a spectator. Now, Nsibandze, enjoying her forced powers, began to wield her stick commanding and ordering all departments to tore her line.
The company has employees who are stationed at Malkerns servicing that side's sugar cane schemes. She immediately, relocated those workers from their place of abode to her parental home at Malkerns where they are now staying. The company pays rent to her. Alright, Nsibandze is in charge of company's finances, she is the one who budget, signs and pay clients.
The controversial residential set-up of the Malkerns employees residing at her home seems to prove her dirty dealings with the company's coffers.
Further, Nsibandze is said to had in or around 2019 constructed a luxurious house alleged to cost E3 million at Tubungu village.
Efforts to try and get comments from the General Manager Fred Neemez proved futile as he couldn't respond to our questionnaire despite that he received it.
JCW is the church accused of alleged state capture by virtue of housing controversial high profile businessmen and government officials who are influential in government's day to day operations. State business and finance transactions are allegedly influenced by some members of the JCW. Pastor Robert Kasaro is founded of the church.
