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kombis join teachers strike

28/06/2012 00:00:00 LUCKY TSABEDZE

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MANZINI – The Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers Union (STAWU) yesterday announced that there will be no public transport nationwide beginning today.

The association of public transport conductors and drivers said they are joining the ‘Waya Waya’ strike action that the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) started last Friday.

The strike action is entering its fifth day today.

The teachers are demanding a 4.5 per cent increment from government.

STAWU spearheaded the Manzini Satellite Bus Rank boycott which almost brought the city to a standstill as east bound commuters found themselves stranded for weeks on end.

It took for the office of the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, to intervene for that strike action to end.

In an interview last night, Simanga Shongwe, the Secretary General of STAWU, said the decision was reached yesterday afternoon in a meeting where STAWU members deliberated on the issues which are forcing teachers to stay away from schools.

Shongwe said it is their feeling that government needs to take the issue of the 4.5 per cent salary increment seriously and urgently address it.

Shongwe said the message has been communicated to their membership that there will be no transport with immediate effect, until government and SNAT reach an agreement on the salary increment proposal.

"We have been following the events with keen interest, and we have observed that the pupils are being frustrated by going to school only to be turned back. This is government’s fault in that there has been no will to address the 4.5 percent salary increment request. We have the interests of the nation at heart and that is why we want to join hands with SNAT in putting pressure on government to meet the demands of the teachers," said Shongwe last night.

"We will be striking ‘Waya Waya’. We are at SNAT’s service and we are going to do what SNAT asks of us," added Shongwe.

On the other hand, Duma Msibi of the Swaziland Commercial Association of Road Transport Council (SCARTCO) said their association had not been informed of the latest move by their workers.

"All members of SCARTCO should convene at the Commercial Amadoda building today for a big meeting. We will be discussing the strike by STAWU. It is an urgent matter that the members are going to deliberate on," said Msibi.

Msibi said the meeting will provide a way forward on the matter.

Comments

Yes everybody is affected. We should all join the strike. I mean the whole nation, akubukelwa. Syabonga kulaba labatsi they are joining. Akuliwe nalentfo le. Sigcilateke kakhulu in the name of inhlonipho and kubindvwa kubonwa. Hhayi nyalo, ayashabalala lawo maSwati lasho njalo, they are getting extinct. Viva transport viva, kadze ngabona kutsi nihlakaniphile, together with you machawe ami sitoncoba.
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, ppm, Mandla Dlamini (mindlos@gmail)

Nalongayingeni utaze ayingene.....
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, Nonhlanhla (Nhlex@live.com)

Mr PM, this needs your urgent attention more than the 40 bills you were busy about, it's a national strike! For your information the 1977 student strike started as a teachers' strike. You cannot separate the two, if one is affected the others join in solidarity. Muzzling the media and tapping on telephone calls will not help; only reduce the flashy allowances given to security forces and give it to teachers for they deserve it! Your treasury system needs a fix, how do you award a simple STD 5 soldier more than a PhD headteacher? Is that what your economics has taught you lately?
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, End Times

Yasuka, in as much as we cannot deny the fact that public transport are indirectly affected by the teachers strike as students have to stay at home. My main worry is the other population..Our country is sick nje u even ashamed to say u from Swaziland.
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, Vuyisile Dlamini (dlaminivuyi@yahoo.co.uk)

Oh cry our beloved country Swaziland. STAWU is taking instructions from the uprisers and disguised such as an interest to the nation. God and history will judge us
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, Sydney Maseko (finestswazi@rocketmail.com)

Teachers should be paid more money than this they get now cos is them who make a child to be what he/she want
Jun 28, 2012, 6:13 AM, mzuzu (76645204)

The on-going teachers' strike is definitely of national interest. May the head of government, the Honourable prime minister of our beloved Swaziland take heed and lead with intergrity,just this once! This country is heading for a catastrophe if the PM still believes Police violence against citizens is the solution. So, may the government spokesperson stop shifting the blame and position himself where his influence leads to a win-win situation.
Jun 28, 2012, 12:02 PM, Bheki Khumalo (bheki@swazimet.gov.sz)

A big thnx to d kombis.hulumende uhlulwa kusinika 4.5p/cnt longatsengi ngisho i.GREEN BAR. WIRE WAYA siyaphambili.
Jun 28, 2012, 12:02 PM, Chris (Scfaras@gmail.com)

Government must just suspend the 14% vat for now in order to solve the "waya waya". Teachers are intellectuals and there they would understand if Govt. suspends the vat and then go on not to give 4.5% salary increment. I think what is puzzling everyone here is; How does Govt. complain about a close to death economy and yet she goes on to include the 14% vat?
Jun 28, 2012, 12:02 PM, Thokozani Khumalo (thokozanik74@gmail.com)