Threats for giving lifts to colleagues reported
SITEKI – St Philip’s High School Head teacher Hlobsile Thwala, together with five teachers, have reported to the police threats allegedly made by public transport workers.
She said her sin was to offer lifts to colleagues.
The workers alleged to be making the threats are those servicing the Siphofaneni-St Philip’s route.
According to the head teacher, the public transport workers and operators had threatened to vandalise a car belonging to one of the teachers, after he gave a lift to his colleagues in Siphofaneni town.
Danger
Thwala said the teacher, whose name has been deliberately withheld to protect him, was told by the public transport workers not to offer lifts to other teachers again as such could put his life in danger.
The administrator said the teacher then reported the threats to the police. She also shared that she was also similarly threatened after she offered a lift to teachers she found in Siphofaneni.
This, she said, also irked her because she could not leave the teachers behind as they were running late for the morning assembly session.
Thwala said nowadays, she was also commuting as her car had developed mechanical problems.
Adding, the head teacher mentioned that she had not yet reported the threats to the Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO), Richard Dlamini, as they were still waiting for the outcome of the case at the police station. She mentioned that she used to also give the teachers a lift in Siphofaneni town, after they had travelled from Manzini.
Thwala pointed out that some of the teachers were subjected to long hours of waiting for public transport and eventually arrived late at school.
“It is so hurting that we are subjected to threats, as educators, for giving our late colleagues lifts in our cars.”
The other teacher also confirmed having opened a case after being confronted by the public transport workers for offering a lift to his colleagues.
Lubombo REO Dlamini also advised the teachers to involve his office regarding the matter, so that formal engagement with the implicated public transport workers and operators could be pursued.
Treasurer of the Local Kombi Association Siphofaneni Branch, Sabelo Dlamini, advised the aggrieved teachers to report their grievances to his office. Dlamini said though the matter had not yet been reported, his office would investigate the circumstances leading to the threats.
Implicated
The branch’s Chairperson, Sipho Gadlela, further advised the teachers to bring the particulars of the implicated public transport workers, so that his office could institute investigations.
“If they give lifts to colleagues, it’s ok, but if they lift passengers, they are wrong to do that,” he said.
Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni advised the teachers to formally open a case at the police station to ensure that their matter is attended to, with urgency.
“I advise the affected teachers to again revisit the police station, so that their matter can be attended with the urgency it deserves,” she said.
Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General (SG) Lot Vilakati advised the teachers to employ other means to ensure that they reached their school on time.
Vilakati said he would verify the matter with their branch in Siphofaneni.
“It is unfortunate that the matter has not reached my office, but I have to verify it, so that action can be taken,” he said.