Forcing workers to go to work wrong?
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Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit - Mahatma Gandhi
I have a burning, worrying and very concerned question to pose to all patriotic citizens of the country who love (or, rather, claim to love) this awesome kingdom with a passion: Where are our leaders as the country relentlessly exhibits signs of it leading to being made ungovernable?
Why are we allowing our egos and haughty attitudes to destroy this once beautiful country? What happened to the famous, Eswatini spirit of tolerance and harmony?
The country is increasingly becoming a very lawless society, and unless we discard our pathological, egotist attitudes, and refrain from allowing power to corrupt us, instead, stop allowing it to corrupt us absolutely, this beautiful kingdom will literally go to the dogs. In fact, it is almost there, unless we wake up from the slumber, and save it from self-inflicted destruction.
Do our leaders still care about what is happening in, and to the country? When is the so-called dialogue? Are we as citizens doing anything to help solve the problems engulfing the country? Do we still care about the future of the next generation? What are we doing for the country to save it from the obvious, deteriorating signs of intolerance, which will definitely lead to anarchy and the dreaded civil unrest?
CRUCIAL
These are some of the most crucial questions we need to honestly, and candidly pose to ourselves, seek answers to, take action and help solve them if we are to save this beautiful country from civil war or total anarchy. Let us not deceive ourselves, anarchy is imminent.
Do we still have a government which knows its mandate, and social responsibility, perhaps? I cannot help, but sense a leadership vacuum of sorts from our government.
Last time I checked, some of the core responsibilities of the government of any country were: Provision of security
Welfare of citizens
Promotion of political activities Provision and promotion of economic activities
Provision of social amenities
Provision of Security: This has become as good as non-existent. Please correct me if I am wrong..
On the one hand, institutions which have been given the legal mandate of protecting the country from immoral acts like committing violence, have now turned into villains, and brutal violaters of the very law they are supposed to uphold, brazenly violating fundamental rights and safety of the people.
On the other hand, some of our people have resorted to the use of brutal, retaliatary tactics like the dreaded arson attacks, to vent their frustration over the snail’s pace progress towards reaching a lasting, political settlement which would finally bring the much yearned for change.
These two forces are colliding, sparks are flying, and if this continues unabated, I fear for the future of the country.
Talking about the police and army to or with anyone these days, brings fear, and hatred for these two institutions. We are living in fear, beaten, shot at and hunted down like game in the wild. The future is not guaranteed to those of us bold enough to condemn the evil that is taking place in the country.
Too many incidents of police and army brutality had taken place in the country, such that our people have learnt to live, albeit, reluctantly with this immoral and unconstitutional behaviour of our security forces. Living with these unethical acts has created an atmosphere of uncertainty about the future.
MERCILESSLY
It seems like the security forces had been given orders to ‘crush dissenting voices mercilessly so that they become obsequious, tractable and fearfully subservient to authorities’. The question is: Will that bring the desired results? Your guess is as good as mine.
I do not want to recall what took place during the horrific months of June and July last year (2021).
The pain and agony of remembering what took place during those two, volatile, horrendous and odious months is still fresh. It will take decades for many of us for the horror to fade away from our memories - if ever.
I was deeply shocked, terrified, and appalled when I read last Wednesday’s Times of Eswatini front page headline: “Cops order textile workers to go to work”. What? Forcing workers to go to work?
Thousands of textile workers in Nhlangano, as we know, had been away from work on strikes for the past three weeks or so. The bone of contention had been, and continues to be a demand for a E15 per hour increment. They have vowed not to return to work unless and until their demands are met.
In spite of calls for them to return to work, they have refused to do so. As much as their strike had been termed as illegal, they have stood their ground.
Then entered the police in their usual, menacing, swashbuckling, and brutal style.
According to media accounts, ‘drama unfolded at Phola in Nhlangano when police allegedly arrived unannounced at textile workers’ flats and fired tear gas and rubber bullets”
UNCERTAIN
They are alleged to have told workers in no uncertain terms to ‘go to work’ or else...
Unbelievable? You bet! In my whole, sinful and wretched life, it is my first time to hear of the police anywhere in the world, ordering or forcing striking workers to return to work! The right to go to work or not is an individual’s choice, if I remember correctly. Police State?
It is alleged that the police went from door to door at the Phola residential flats, which are mostly inhabited by textile workers, asking the occupants of the flats as to where they work. If they told them that they worked in the textile firms, the police officers would order the employees to get up and go to work.
After the police left, it is alleged some of the textile workers dug a trench on the main road leading to Phola, purportedly to make it impossible for the police to drive through. When the police came back, they decided to walk on foot to the area, and chaos erupted. The inevitable tear gas and rubber bullets were allegedly fired at workers who had formed a group.
The horrifying part is that there were allegations that the police even fired tear gas at the doorsteps of the flats, causing the occupants, including children, to inhale the fumes. Shocked? Don’t be, these are our ‘heroes’ - the enforcers.
Do you remember, dear reader, the horrifying Nkoyoyo, tear gas bus incident last year, 2021 at the height of the June/July unrest? The police allegedly threw tear gas canisters in a bus full of passengers, and allegedly then closed the door. This could not help, but remind me of Nazi Germany exterminating Jews in gas chambers.
Passengers who escaped through windows, falling to the ground, were allegedly shot at as they desperately tried to flee the mayhem. The incident is one of those that revealed how our security officers had become law unto themselves. I still shudder as I recall that incident.
SHOCKED
When I read about the Nhlangano, textile workers incident, I was not overly shocked.
In many incidents of police misconduct and brutality, I have never heard of any condemnation coming from our leaders of these unfortunate incidences.
What does it tell you, dear reader? Please save your breath..
The sooner we accept that police misconduct is condoned, the better. There is, unfortunately, absolutely nothing as citizens we can do, for now.
Absolute power lies in the hands of the ungodly. Nothing at all we can do. We shall continue, though, to condemn such unconstitutional acts. Maybe, when our Lord Jesus Christ finally comes during His second coming, we will find true justice.
Coming to government’s duty on catering for the welfare of citizens. Kuvalwa emehlo. I can confidently declare that we are on our own. Last week, I wrote about the apparent and deliberate sabotaging of the educational sector in the kingdom. Tertiary students are idling at home. No allowances in spite of relentless protests by concerned students. Lafa elihle kakhulu. Cry the beloved, country!
I promised the reader that I would write something about the deteriorating healthcare sector in the country.
The shortage of basic drugs continues to run unabated. Pregnant women continue to sleep on mattresses on the floor.
Nursing staff, just like the shortage of teachers in the education sector, continue to suffer shortages. Those that are working, toil for lengthy hours due to inadequate nursing staff.
Someone once said that a ‘healthy nation is a productive nation’, or something to that effect. Instead, it has become the other way round. I read somewhere that our government is seeking to apply for a loan from outside the country. Well and good. It is not the first time, though, and it won’t be the last time.
Remember the recent loan that was sought from the government of India? What was it for, by the way? To build or improve on the existing Parliament building! At the expense of improving the health and education sector? Again, save your breath, dear reader.
Not when the education and healthcare sectors are crumbling like a pack of cards or dominoes. Who cares about the welfare of the people, if I may ask? Again, save your breath, dear reader.
CONSTRAINTS
Finally, due to space constraints, allow me, dear reader to address briefly, the third point touching on the duty of governments - that is, the promotion of political activities. We are throttling each other, our people are systematically killed, beaten to a pulp, unconstitutionally incarcerated, harassed, teargassed, etcetera, because our government cannot tolerate dissenting voices.
The million-dollar question is: Where are we losing it? Why can’t we sit together like bantfwana bemfati munye, and trash out our differences amicably? Sibabani kantsi tsine sisive se Maswati? Sadalwa ngu hulumende yini kutsi sitawushaywa maphoyisa and be denied our fundamental human rights?
Lo Jehovah who created us equal, how does He feel when His creation is oppressed so painfully by the very same people He gave power to rule over us? Ye hulumende, please do not forget that a time is coming where all of us - great or small, kings, presidents, arsonists, fake and true pastors, the police and soldiers - will stand before the judgement seat of the fiery gold and we will have to account for each and every deed we committed on this world, and for oppressing such a wonderful nation.
To all our leaders, please remember these words from the mouth of the Holy and Righteous ‘umlomo longatsetsi manga:’ - God, Himself.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” - 2nd Corinthians 5:10
Peace! Shalom! May sanity prevail?
For more information: Alex Nxumalo 76058449
‘‘ The horrifying part is that there were allegations that the police even fired tear gas at the doorsteps of the flats, causing the occupants, including children, to inhale the fumes.’’