Workers not paid

‘‘The delays with their salaries are caused by the very recruitment processes that I have highlighted. We believe that they will get their salaries in the next run.”

“A total of 49 orderly posts were converted in April 2022, which was a reduction of the required 109 positions. The ministry in collaboration with the CSC finalised the recruitment process.

“35 serving officers were promoted to the position of orderly and 14 were new appointments. We needed to first consider serving officers for promotions and offer the consequential positions to those who were employed during pandemic.

TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT

“This was not a demotion because the temporary employment which has its terms & conditions lapsed and the permanent and pensionable dispensation has its terms and conditions different from temporary employment,” he said.

When quizzed on whether those who were given appointments during the pandemic were considered, Zwane confirmed that they were appointed to other support staff positions and which were under Grade A2 salary scale.

“The permanent positions available as stated were limited (49) as compared to the temporary positions we had during the pandemic. After the conversion of the positions to permanent and pensionable, the Ministry of

petition, Mkhonza chanted slogans, incited violence and disrupted operations of the company. He said they marched along MP19 and dispersed. He stated that the management called Bhunya police for assistance.

On October 13, 2022, according to LeRoux, employees of Gundane and Sons, who are contracted to Usutu Forest, after knocking off at 6am, were stopped by a group of unknown people who were armed with knobkerries and sjamboks. These people, said LeRoux, harassed and intimidated and directed the employees to converge at the market place near the parking area in the company.

UNLAWFUL GATHERING

“The effect of the unlawful gathering was that the workers in the incoming shift were harassed by the people who had gathered at the market place,” said the CEO.

LeRoux further said on October 20, 2022, a crowd in excess of 50 people, led by Mkhonza and Mlotsa, gathered at the entrance of the mill site in Bhunya and they were carrying with knobkerries, sjamboks and tree branches. He said they intimidated and harassed the employees who were entering the workplace.

LeRoux further told the court that, while attempting to put the situation under control, the company security personnel were verbally and physically abused by the crowd. These gatherings, LeRoux submitted, were in violation of the Public Order Act 2017.

“May I also place it on record that these gatherings and action of inciting violence by the first and second respondents (ATUSWA and SAPAWU) led to two vehicles being burnt on the

Health and the CSC had to follow a different route in filling these positions,” added Zwane.

A letter written by the CSC appointing the healthcare workers to the positions of groundsmen was seen by the publication.

“I am directed by the Civil Service Commission to offer you the appointment of Groundsmen in the Public Service of Eswatini. Your appointment is subject to passing medical examination including chest X-rays. Your salary will be E48 128 per annum in the scale of A2.

“The appointment will be on a two-year probation which upon completion you will be eligible for confirmation in your post and admission to the permanent and pensionable establishment. During the period of probation, your appointment can be terminated by one calendar month on either side,” reads the letter of appointment.

MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS

In healthcare, an orderly (also known as a ward assistant, nurse assistant or healthcare assistant) is a hospital attendant whose job consists of assisting medical and nursing staff with various nursing and medical interventions. The highest role of an orderly is that of an operations assistant.

An operations assistant requires people who are knowledgeable in advanced medical terminology and assist with specialist surgery setups, and typically an operations assistant understands more about surgical procedures than does a registered nurse working outside of theatres.

An operations assistant is a direct assistant to consultant-level doctors more than to nurses.

These duties are classified as routine tasks involving no risk for the patient.

premises,” said the CEO.

On Thursday, said the CEO, the crowd, some wearing T-shirts associated with various political organisations, led by Mkhonza and Mlotsa, gathered at the entrance of the mill site and blocked all movement in and out of the company premises.

The effect the blockade, according to LeRoux, was that people and vehicles were not allowed access to the premises of the company.

“The Crowd continued to disrupt operations, bringing the operations of the applicant to a standstill. The applicant was forced to close the mill until further notice due to the respondents’ unlawful conduct.

“The crowd, carrying tree branches, knobkerries and sjamboks, intimidated security personnel. The situation worsened in that individuals from the crowd assaulted the applicant’s security personnel in the presence of the police,” LeRoux said.

Yesterday, according to LeRoux, ATUSWA and SAPAWU converged at the entrance of the company premises. He said the crowd tried to forcefully gain entry to the mill site, assaulted workers and set some assets on fire in numerous places. He told the court that police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

LeRoux submitted that the application in court was urgent because of the unlawfulness of the workers’ conduct and the escalating violence.

He said the matter could not be dealt with at CMAC because there was no relationship between the company and ATUSWA. He said there was no reported dispute warranting that the matter be dealt with by CMAC.