‘Remove Nhlengetfwa from office’

MBABANE – SNAT wants the Ministry of Education and Training to remove the Under Secretary Lungelo Nhlengetfwa from office.

The union’s Secretary General Lot Vilakati, when reading the petition that was delivered to the ministry yesterday, said Nhlengetfwa should finalise the charges that were pending against him with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

“Mr Nhlengetfwa still has a pending case and must appear before the PAC to answer on fraud charges emanating from his duties at KaBoyce High,” said Vilakati.

He wondered why people with pending charges were appointed to senior positions in the ministry. He highlighted that there were several malpractices within the ministry.

Vilakati added that among the promotions were those of spouses. He noted that there was a head teacher who was alleged to have defrauded E4 million but was promoted together with his wife. The secretary general did not mention who these civil servants were.

Victimisation

In the petition, the union further demanded that the ministry stop the victimisation of union leaders.

“The ministry must call to order the under secretary, who is on a mission to hunt down SNAT leaders, creating a condition for their dismissal.”

Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary, Bhekithemba Gama, said they were still to meet with Nhlengetfwa regarding the allegations that were levelled against him today if possible. Coming to the other demands by the union, Gama said they were still to sit down and discuss as a ministry but before November 11, they would have given the union responses.

On the issue of boycotting examinations, Gama said he did not believe a teacher who understood his or her job would do such.

“I do not know whether this is a threat or promise but all I can say is a teacher in his or her right frame of mind will not do such.”