By Kwanele Dhladhla
Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini has clarified that there is no rift in the Cabinet.
This statement was made by Dlamini in response to concerns raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) during a sitting of the House of Assembly Portfolio Committee for Private and Cabinet to debate the 2025/2026 budget on Tuesday.
The MPs alleged that they had been reliably informed that there was division in Cabinet to the extent that financing some trips, particularly those of Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya, were deliberately being cancelled to the extent that she has had to fund her own travel for official business.
Dlamini said he was not aware that there was anyone who hated him within Cabinet, and he does not hate anyone either.
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“The rumours that there is division are untrue. I do not know of anyone whom I hate or who hates me. I want this to be clear,” firmly said Dlamini.
He went on to educate MPs about the four stages of building a team. Dlamini said these steps were storming, forming, norming and performing.
The PM defined storming as the period in which all the members of the team were generally silent during meetings.
Dlamini said at this point of the team’s formation even extroverted members become silent due to fear of the unknown such as embarrassment or violating procedure.
He said the second stage of a team’s formation was forming. At this point, Dlamini said team members get to understand one another’s tone, diction and approach to issues.
Soon after forming, the team gets levels up to the stage called norming. He explained that norming referred to the phase when team members engage in intense discussions, and positive criticism and speak frankly to each other knowing that no one will hold grudges they comprehensively understand each other.
The PM said during the recent Cabinet retreat all members were encouraged to interact vigorously on issues of national interest and they so did but none of them held grudges or was agitated by submissions.
“Effective board meetings are those where the truth is spoken without fear or favour. We must not always tap each other’s shoulders but speak the truth,” Dlamini emphasised.
He went on to state that according to his analysis Cabinet was presently at the norming stage because they now understand each other and understand the tone used by each of their team members.
“We are at norming and will soon enter the performing stage as Cabinet. This does not mean there is anyone being hated or there is division,” Dlamini said.
The PM responded to the allegation made by House of Assembly ICT Portfolio Committee Chairperson Charles Ndlovu that Maziya was deliberately being sidelined from receiving funding for official working trips and said it was untrue.
“All ministers are allowed to travel on official business and sometimes they are stopped from travelling for valid reasons,” Dlamini explained.
He stated that all internal processes should be respected and adhered to. Dlamini said there was a particular reason why all protocols and procedures should be conformed to because they were created for a reason.
The PM made an example of the recent trip where His Majesty King Mswati III travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He disclosed that 10 Ministers of the Crown had submitted requests to travel. However, some had to be declined for various reasons and instructed them to assign officials or request other ministers to represent them after considering other official business that must be done in-country.
“The PM has the right to determine who will travel. It does not mean just because there are ministers who were declined to travel with the King, there is something wrong that has happened,” added Dlamini.
Princess Nkosungumenzi urged Cabinet ministers to put their differences aside and focus on executing the tasks to which they have been assigned.
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“The country cannot be held back by personalities. We need to work together in harmony despite any differences that may be there,” she submitted.
Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo recommended that PM and Speaker in the House of Assembly Jabulani Mabuza should convene a meeting and find a suitable date where the issue of alleged division in Cabinet would be thrashed out.
“It is not good for the country to have a division at the Cabinet level. This issue must be addressed immediately,” Khumalo urged. The PM agreed that he would engage Mabuza to find a suitable date for the caucus.
Hhukwini MP Alec Lushaba said he believed that the PM’s heart was in the right place. Therefore, he should address whatever differences there could be in Cabinet.
