Govt secretaries (SNAGS) call for Parliament’s intervention

M– The violence that led to the blockade of heavy haulage trucks in the Pongola stretch of the N2 Highway in KwaZulu-Natal may cause traffic headache for Eswatini.

This is if advice given to truck drivers to use the Eswatini route to avoid protests along the highway is adhered to.

The main route in contention connects coal mining companies in towns such as Mkhondvo, Emerlo and others with Richards Bay, where they are then shipped to the market aboard.

As the violence escalated this week, some have suggested that the truckers should consider using the Eswatini route following that communities vented their anger by protesting along the highway.

MCollided

The communities were angered by the increasing fatal accidents along the highway, one of which claimed the lives of 19 people last week. In the accident, a speeding truck is said to have collided, head-on, with a van that was carrying pupils from neighbouring schools.

While South Africans were mourning the accident, anoth

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllll – The Swaziland National Association of Government Secretaries (SNAGS) has urged the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to intervene in their matter between their employers, the Ministry of Public Service.

In a letter, seen by this publication, SNAGS Chairperson, Thulile Mabaso on September 8, 2021, wrote to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Petros Mavimbela, and requested for intervention.

“Re-request for your intervention in the matter between Swaziland National Association of Government Secretaries (SNAGS) and the Ministry of Public Service (employer),” reads the letter.

Furthermore, the letter pointed out that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Portfolio Committee is hereby requested to intervene in the matter between SNGS and the Ministry of Public Service.

Matters

According to the letter, the burning issues are that of a recognition agreement, scheme of service and appeals on salaries.

The accident scene where a truck collided with a van near Pongola.

er occurred, injured.

Following this, protests erupted to demand that trucks be stopped from using the highway because of allegations of reckless driving. Advice that the truckers should deviate to the Eswatini route came after considerations of the high costs to be borne by truckers in alternative SA routes.

At worst the truck drivers themselves have been complaining that the N2 is dangerous because it is pothole-riddled, has uneven surfaces and is often misty between Ermelo and Pongola. leaving

Passes

motorists

From Piet Ritief, trucks use the N2 which passes through Rosendale, Pongola, Mkuze, Hluhluwe, Mtubatuba, up to Richards Bay.

Another option is the R66/ R34 route through Empangeni, though truckers are said to have complained of the huge fuel strain on the route.

“Given that the multiple accidents occurred at Pongola, the

Ndzingeni Member of Parliament Lutfo Dlamini who is the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Portfolio Committee Chairperson.

“We humbly request the committee intervention as we have been battling with the employ(JNT). trucks could easily drive into Mahamba, through Nhlangano, Mhlosheni Hluti and Lavumisa. They could then rejoin the N2 at Mkuze, after exiting Lavumisa,” one social media user advised.

It was said the Eswatini route was far cheaper compared to the gallons of fuel that the trucks would consume if they would deviate to the Jon Ross Highway and pass through Vryheid as they connect between Richards Bay and Piet Ritief (see map illustration).

Alternative

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Thulani Mkhaliphi, said though they promote the use of alternative routes in any of the country’s regional road networks, they would expect compliance with road safety standards.

Meanwhile, Road Safety Council Secretary Mandla Ntshalinsthali said the idea would cause emaSwati to rework their safety er for the past 16 years,” further reads the letter.

The chairperson of the organisation referred all questions from Eswatini News to the portfolio committee.

Mabaso had been asked by this newspaper to shed light on their request to government as an organisation.

Chairperson of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Portfolio Committee, Lutfo Dlamini, has confirmed the receipt of the letter from SNAGS.

Dlamini disclosed that there was progress in the matter between SNAGS and the ministry after they met last Monday.

“We will be meeting them and their employer’s representatives next month on October 3,”said Dlamini in an interview yesterday.

appeals

Impeccable sources have revealed that the government secretaries have been battling for recognition with government for a long time.

It is said that the secretaries no longer believe being represented by the other associations and unions such as the National Public Service Workers Union (NAPSAWU) in the Joint Negotiation Table strategies.

“Personally I feel we should not invite such trucks to come and use our roads, but in the event they do we would have to introduce road safety measures, especially at Mhlosheni where the road is too steep.”

“On a safety perspective, I think police officers at Hluti and Nhlangano would have to conduct a study on the behaviour of such trucks in order to introduce befitting safety measures. I would recommend mandatory truck stops at Mhlosheni and emaBhananeni where the road is too steep. This is where the trucks would also have to apply their retarder to ensure they are driving at an acceptable speed,” he said.

He also suggested the need for a weighbridge before trucks reach the steep hills so that the load of the trucks could be managed.

Meanwhile, an elder of Mantambe, Mthembeni Ndlangamandla, said the livestock would It was gathered that they then met and formed their own organisation, SNAGS which would attend to their bread and butter issues.

deadlock

There has been a deadlock between the Public Service Unions (PSUs) and the employer, engagements between Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) and the Government Negotiation Team (GNT) most recently.

Government decided to only grant a three per cent costofliving adjustments (CoLA) and a one per cent once-ff to only non-unionised government employees.

Moved

“As negotiations continued, and appreciating the parlous financial situation of government, EPA eventually moved from her initial CoLA demand of six per cent to a final fall-back position of three per cent demand, plus a once-off sweetener one per cent of annual basic salary across the board,” Minister of Public Service, Mabulala Maseko said in an earlier interview.

He said consequently, at a meeting held on June 27, 2022, the parties signed a Collective Agreement to implement

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Thulani Mkhaliphi.

also be victims of the trucks.

“I have been listening to Ukhozi FM where people complained about the trucks. I personally feel that the same problems would be transferred to Eswatini. Worst still, our fencing along the road is no longer intact, which means that stray cows would be hit by these trucks now and then,” he said.

He said, already some trucks connecting Piet Ritief and Lavumisa were using the road.

Drop

“We do not know if they drop some of the goods in hardwares and other shops. However, this road, at times is busy with South African trucks,” he said.

In light of last Friday’s collision, Pongola residents have vowed to prevent trucks from using the N2 as they mourned for the lost souls.

Concerned resident Adrian Chaning-Pearce told News24 that the main issue was the destruction of the rail and ports

the three per cent increase of monthly basic salary across the board with effect from the beginning of the government financial year for 2022.

In addition to this, the minister said there would be a once-off payment of one per cent of annual basic salary across the board.

Presently, the negotiations between the unionised workers representative body (PSUs) are going on, however, the workers now are demanding 7.7 per cent CoLA, while government is offering only three per cent.

Maseko said: “Government, as a matter of law, as well as taking into cognisance the pressing need to financially cushion her employees, henceforth implemented the three per cent of monthly basic salary plus the once-off one per cent of annual basic salary to members of EPA, those employees regarded as managers and those employees who, by the nature of their work, cannot join a union or are unionisable.”

In fact, the minister said in addition to the E220 million CoLA, government also set aside E55 million for the 2016 Salary Review Appeals and E15 million for the engagement of a consultant to undertake a salary review of the entire public service.