SADC in $225 million deal with USA
Friday, August 04, 2023 | 420 Views |
USA rep Van Vranken AND SADC rep Elias Magosi PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
The $225 million that is expected to be pumped into the new agreement deal between SADC and USA is envisioned to go towards the SADC ‘Regional Development Objectives’ only.
Through the MOA signing that was held at the SADC Secretariat, Mphatso Kachule who is the legal counsel for the regional body revealed that funds from the agreement will come in batches. “The funds from the collaborative agreement will be provided in tranches and from 2023 to 2024 the initial allocation is $35.8 million. And this means that next year the government will provide another tranch depending on what the agreement will be in terms of the areas of cooperation,” he explained.
That a single private law firm pocketed P6.5 million for just four cases, out of a total P11.1 million paid for 25 matters, reeks of a system that was not merely disorganised but open to abuse.Bayford has taken a welcome first step by telling the Public Accounts Committee the truth. Now he must act decisively to ensure it never happens again and that any money lost to wrongdoing is recovered.The figures are staggering. Whilst ordinary Batswana...