Strike for 4.5% pay rise is on June 13

MANZINI – Teachers who are members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) will go on strike on June 13 to demand a 4.5 per cent salary increment.

The resolution was taken at a meeting held at the SNAT Centre yesterday which was attended by about 3 000 teachers.

SNAT President, Sibongile Mazibuko, said the duration of the strike would be indefinite, depending on government’s response to their demands.

Teachers who spoke during the brief meeting before the balloting process all supported the strike action, saying the cost of living was too high.

A majority of them also said 4.5 per cent was too little as it had been offset by the introduction of Value Added Tax.

Motivating teachers, Mazibuko said government had also apportioned for itself Circular No. 1, which gave them lucrative perks.

"We will not run from this country when the situation turns bad. If the option is to sjambok someone who is standing in the way, then so be it. You must know that teachers are unstoppable, because we succeed in anything we want.

"You will recall that government intended to delay salaries in November last year, but when teachers gave them until 11am to deposit the money into their accounts, government complied as the money was deposited at 10:56am," she said.

Mazibuko said the economy was so strained that it would be suicidal to take money from the country’s reserves.

She said this also posed a risk to the strength of the currency.

The SNAT executive said once the strike begins, the president would not be forced by anyone to go to the national radio station to cancel it at the eleventh hour as has been the case before. They said rather, SNAT would have to use radio stations outside the borders of the country.

Comments

So teachers have voted to exerise their rights. Next thing, Percy, Min of Ed and Min of Public service will go to govt court. As expected, they will rule out, 'ILLEGAL!!!' Come June 13, the cops tell us to release kids to go to school, then it turns nasty as teachers forcefully exercise their right. Then they are called to the conference room for fruitless negotiations! That's how things go in this Animal Farm, then I wonder why issues have to be solved ngesitelega. This autocratic rule is really killing us
Jun 1, 2012, 5:41 AM, Lord Anthony (anthonym198@gmail.com)

Kulukhuni bekunene konkhe kwenyukile kepha lihholo do (sivalo), akuliwa nelive simo. Way to go SNAT kulewylense kute lekungentiwa ngobe inemehlo emaSWATI ete, yabobanibani kuyakhetfwa kutsi isetjentiswa bobani its for the blued blooded and their friends.
Jun 1, 2012, 5:41 AM, happiness shongwe (kozontoko@yahoo.co.uk)

Cha futsi! with VAT, electricity increase what will the 4.5% do? We need more than this. People are very selfish.
Jun 1, 2012, 5:41 AM, No name (n/a)

I say that this is long overdue..The way money is being misused by govt officials is just not right..there are people who literally live from a suitcase ngoma sebaphila etindizeni and getting hefty subsistence allowances whilst we poor people are meant to suffer...everything is on the rise except our pay..everything should come to a standstill..i say let all civil servants feeling the pinch down their tools..SNAT..SNACS..SNA..lets join hands singamtfola lo 4.5%
Jun 1, 2012, 10:32 AM, Thabile Ginindza (Thabile@gmail.com)

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