TUCOSWA, govt engage on 19 matters
MANZINI - TUCOSWA and government have engaged in a conciliation process regarding 19 issues which are pending before the ILO’s committee of freedom of association.
This is according to a statement released by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) secretariat yesterday.
The issues which were reported to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) date back to 2018, and include the banning of local governments from issuing permits for gatherings in all towns and cities in the country, as well as the murder of a public transport worker during their strike action.
Agenda
The wide ranging agenda also includes alleged intimidation and victimisation of union leaders like the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Mbongwa Dlamini and Deputy Secretary General Mcolisi Ngcamphalala, among others.
These developments were confirmed by the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public Service, Sipho Tsabedze. He said they were aware that the conciliation process had started.
In the statement, which was authorised by the federation’s Secretary General Mduduzi Gina, on behalf of the secretariat, the federation said the conciliation process of case number 3 425, which is also pending before the committee on the freedom of association of ILO, was now underway.
It said the conciliation was between TUCOSWA and the Government of Eswatini, where the workers were represented by a team of seven members of the federation’s national executive committee. The team include TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba, First Deputy President Futhile Dlamini, Second Deputy President Nicholas Nkomondze and Treasurer General Thabile Zwane. The others are the Secretary General Gina, First Deputy Secretary General Winile Mlotsa and Second Deputy Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini. The conciliation is chaired by the President of the Industrial Court, Judge Sifiso Sibandze, who is also the President of the Industrial Court of Appeal and is assisted by the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC).
The federation said the issues that were contained in this case dated back to 2018.
The first issue on the list is the murder of a kombi conductor, Sabelo Dlamini, who was shot dead, supposedly by members of the State security organs during the public transport workers’ protest action on October 12, 2021.
Banning
Another topical issue which is on the list is the banning of local governments from issuing permits for gatherings in all towns and cities affecting all trade unions. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Prince Simelane, unilaterally banned local governments from issuing permits for gatherings in urban areas in October 2021. After the minister’s statement, human rights experts and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) reacted with shock as they believed that the prince, in his capacity as a minister, had gone against the Public Order Act of 2017, which provided for the issuing of permits to gather in towns and cities. The Public Order Act of 2017, under Public Gatherings, allows for the right to assembly peacefully in Section 3(1) and stipulates that a person has the right to assemble peacefully in a public place in compliance with the Act and all other laws of Eswatini.
Intimidation
Again, the federation said another issue which was on the table was the alleged intimidation and victimisation of union leaders, which it viewed as union bashing. They made particular reference to SNAT President Dlamini and Deputy Secretary General Ngcamphalala. The president of SNAT had received a number of letters from government, where he was asked to show cause why disciplinary actions should not be taken against him.
The leader of SNAT once spent two years and four months at home after he was suspended from work by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) - between May 2019 and August 2021. This happened while he was a teacher at Mhubhe High School. However, after the two years and four months, the TSC lifted his suspension and transferred him from Mhubhe High School to Moyeni High School. Recently, his salary was withheld by his employer.