Lobamba: Members of Parliament (MPs) said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is failing to do its job. They have likened the graft-busting unit to a fly-whisk set up just to scare people with no definite function or purpose. This transpired during the debate of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs' second quarter budget performance report yesterday. Unsatisfied legislators are concerned that corruption has allegedly intensified upon its inception.

"Lishoba lekuphunga nje," said MP Princess Ncengencenge suggesting that "it is merely a fly-whisk."

She said the unit operated as if it had no vision and sense of direction. "I do not see where we are going with this. How can it be that out of 77 cases that were brought to the Commission, only two were taken to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions)? How do you expect this to encourage people to report corruption? In the E50 million case you told people that the case had been wrongly instituted," she said.

She added, "Could it be that there is a language barrier and the leader does not understand Siswati and, by extension, our concerns?"

Kubuta MP Charles Myeza said the delay in finalising the current cases that have been brought before court is a cause for concern. "Corruption is increasing even though we have this body. Nobo-dy can tell me that it is working because we should be experiencing a decrease in corruption but instead it has shot up. The minister must tell us what plan he has to fight corruption, instead of just scaring people," he said.

Robert Magongo, Motshane MP, said it appears as if the commission employed people who did not know the job. "We were expecting that they would work without fear or favour but right now they are not doing anything. The Commissioner's term of office will expire without having achieved anything," said Magongo.

However, Lobamba MP Majahodvwa Khumalo did not share his colleagues' sentiments. "The ACC is relatively new and is still growing. With time they will mature. We were all young at one point in time but have grown up. That is the case also with the unit," he said.