Public transport workers fail to meet station commander again
PIGG’S PEAK – Pigg’s Peak Police Station Commander Dumisani Nzalo was again not available for a meeting with public transport workers yesterday.
It had been anticipated by the public transport workers that he would be present as per their request. The meeting was slated for 10am at Pigg’s Peak Police Station.
The transport workers, together with a contingent of senior police officers from Pigg’s Peak Police Station, led by Desk Officer Esrom Simelane, convened a meeting last week Tuesday where the former passed a vote of no confidence in Station Commander Nzalo.
The transport workers yesterday gathered at the Pigg’s Peak Police Station, with the hope that they would have an audience with the station commander and other senior police officers. They had come to voice out their grievances and dissatisfaction on the manner in which the station commander conducted business at the station.
The public transport workers were led by Bus Rank Manager Prince Dlamini, whom, together with a few other transport workers, had an indoor meeting with Simelane and other officers yesterday.
They had reached a consensus last week that they would have a follow-up meeting yesterday, where they requested the presence of Nzalo so they could inform him of their resolution.
Last week, Nzalo could not be present and Simelane highlighted that he (Nzalo) was aware of the meeting but could not make it due to other work commitments.
Yesterday, the bus rank public transport workers arrived at the station at around 10am, which was the time scheduled for the meeting with Nzalo.
However, they could not get audience with the station commander as they were allegedly informed by the desk officer that Nzalo was not present even yesterday.
“Simelane told us that they had informed Nzalo about the proposed meeting,” he said.
Manager
The bus rank manager on the other hand, indicated manager that they were now planning to elevate the matter to the Hhohho regional commander. The transport workers had informed officers at the police station that they no longer wanted Nzalo in Pigg’s Peak.
The bus rank manager, stating reasons why they were not satisfied in the manner in which Nzalo conducted business, alleged that two of their colleagues had been recently robbed by criminals, who threatened them with a gun and a bush knife. He alleged that one of their colleagues, who was present during the meeting, was robbed of his sandals, cellphone and his child’s cellphone.
When reached for comment, Nzalo said he did not shun the meeting but was called to the police headquarters in Mbabane with other police officers from Pigg’s Peak.
“I did not shun the meeting. I was called at the headquarters with other officers,” he said.
At the time of compiling this report, the desk officer was held up in a meeting at the police station.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati had highlighted that the police would work with the public transport workers in addressing their grievances.