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Fired teachers must not return to work

13/08/2012 00:00:00 SABELO MASIMULA

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MBABANE – Despite the King calling on all teachers to report for work today, government has said the fired teachers have not been reinstated.

In an interview yesterday afternoon, the Minister of Education and Training, Wilson Ntshangase, said the fired teachers must not report for duty pending a decision on the matter by Cabinet.

He said he expects Cabinet to deliberate on the fate of teachers soon.

Teachers under the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) had been on strike for seven weeks in a bid to force government to agree to a 4.5 per cent cost of living adjustment on their salaries.

During the strike government obtained two court orders which declared it illegal. Government later issued an ultimatum calling on all striking teachers to return to work, failing which they would be fired.

Two weeks ago government started the process of firing the teachers and it was able to dismiss over two hundred teachers within a space of a week before it was stopped by an interdict from the Industrial Court.

Last week King Mswati III constituted a ‘People’s Parliament’ which sat at the Cattle Byre at Ludzidzini Royal Residence.

Some of the speakers submitted that the fired teachers should be reinstated.

On Saturday ,when bringing down the curtain on the People’s Parliament, His Majesty said all teachers should return to work today.

"In as much as the King has issued an order that all teachers must report for work tomorrow (today), I would like to clarify that the fired teachers must await Cabinet’s decision on the matter.

It is my belief that right now there are two types of teachers; those who were going to school and not teaching and those who were going to school and teaching. I believe the King meant these two types of teachers. I don’t want to commit myself on the fired teachers because Cabinet still has to decide on whether or not to implement the King’s order since even if it does it has to follow proper procedure which even the King warned must be followed," said Ntshangase.

This is unheard of - TV Mtetwa

MBABANE - No one has a right to further deliberate on an issue that the King has already pronounced himself on.

This was disclosed by acting Ludzidzini Governor, Timothy Velabo Mtetwa when told that the Minister of Education and Training was saying Cabinet would take a decision on the fate of the fired teachers.

He explained that it was unheard of that the King’s order could be further deliberated in another forum.

"My understanding of Swazi culture and etiquette is that the King’s word is final. Once the King issues an order regarding anything, the order has to be implemented by the relevant structures. The whole nation expects that all teachers will report for work tomorrow (today) as per the King’s order.

We hope that the King’s order will calm whatever emotions from all parties and the Swazi child will finally have all his teachers in school tomorrow (today). It doesn’t matter which position you could be occupying, the truth is no one is allowed to defy the King’s order. There is no exception to this long held Swazi cultural ethic," said Mtetwa.

... only Cabinet can reinstate teachers - AG

MBABANE – The Attorney General, Majahenkhaba Dlamini, also said it is only Cabinet which can reinstate the fired teachers.

In an interview yesterday afternoon, Dlamini said the Minister of Education was right in saying the fired teachers remained fired.

"Despite the King’s order, I am sorry to say that the minister was within his rights to advise fired teachers to remain at home until a decision by Cabinet.

"I can’t add or deduct from what the minister said. Hard as it is but any resolution with regard the issue of whether or not fired teachers should report for work lies with Cabinet," said Dlamini.

Teachers vow to follow King’s order

MBABANE - Fired teachers have vowed to follow the King’s order to the letter by reporting for work today.

This was disclosed by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) President, Sibongile Mazibuko, in an interview. Mazibuko, who was Deputy Principal at SOS High School, was also fired by the Teaching Services Commission.

She said they would ignore the minister’s advice that they remain at home pending a Cabinet decision. Mazibuko said the monarch’s word on every issue is final. She said her membership was not in a position to defy the King.

Mazibuko said they would have been happy to continue with their indefinite strike but out of respect for the King they elected to suspend it as per his order.

"After the King ordered that we must return to class we believe no one has the power to defy that. While Cabinet will be deciding whatever it has to decide we will be in class as per the King’s order.

I’m urging all teachers to report for work without fail. As SNAT we don’t have the power to defy the King. Despite our differences with government as Swazis we believe that once the King issues an order we can’t go against it. We are shocked that the minister thinks Cabinet has the power to defy the King," said Mazibuko.

COMMENTS:

- Siyishito lentfo le esibayeni kutsi kukhona labeta ngeligama leNgwenyama bese bona bababakhulu kunayo, nako-ke. This minister must be axed as from today this is a bad precedence.
December 8, 2011, 12:00 pm, Kingdom (kingdomshaker99@gmail.com)

- This is tantamount to dancing on top of a church roof. What the PM and his cabinet are doing by refusing to take back fired teachers is actually undermining the name of the king. They're being insensitive to this respected institution which was already slightly defiled by the extension of the social unrest created by gov't. The last time I checked no one, including the PM, is allowed to defy the king in public. If Mazibuko and SNAT can humble themselves and follow the king's directive, who is cabinet to defy it? I think this should be the last straw for this cabinet. They've outdone themselves this time. They've proved beyond doubt that the people who were calling for their sacking at Sibaya were justified.
August 13, 2012, 12:00 pm, Girl Child (give@yahoo.com)

- I think the minister of education have to apologies to the king due to the opposition and reformation of the king's word. This is the king's country, therefore, the king's decision is final. All fired teachers must be reinstated.
August 13, 2012, 12:00 pm, Lucky Dre Simelane, Lavumisa (luckysimelane.dre@gmail.com)

- In the morden Swaziland, Only cabinet can deliberate on the teachers issue but in the Traditional Swaziland, Ingwenyama is above the law. This matter was concluded traditionaly and the King used his traditional powers to conclude it. It was going to be better if He used the morden way, then the AG could have commented. The AG must go back and read the Constitution. sowentani manje, sodrebulwa libhola lakhe. The AG was quet on the Satelite bus rank issue. Why is he vocal now that teachers have been commanded to report to work? kungoba enyanya emathishela?
August 13, 2012, 12:00 pm, Brother Leader Dr Sanele (drsaneledlamini@yahoo.com)

- The sibaya exercise is not an honest process aimed at resolving people's concern. It was evident by the manner in which the proceedings were chaired. Each serving politician or prince(ss) who wished to talk was immediately given the floor and ample time without being rudely cut short by uMngani but thousands of ordinary people were denied similar treatment. THE END RESULT WHATEVER WAS DECLARED TO BE THE WAYFORWARD HAS BEEN THROWN AWAY BY THE GOVERNMENT. SO THE FIRED TEACHERS REMAIN FIRED WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT.
August 13, 2012, 12:01 pm, Mkhululi Joe Dlamini (mkhululi.nkosi@gmail.com)

- All the teachers that were fired should be reinstated in their positions without any condition, more especial when the King Himself has ordererd so.
August 13, 2012, 12:00 pm, concerned citizen (meshb100dlamini@gmail.com)

- After failing to hear the people, the minister seems ready to defy even the kings advice. We expect all the fired teachers to be in class as per the order.
August 12, 2012, 2:52 pm, Hlophe Siyabonga (hlophesiyabonga90@yahoo.com)

- haaaaaaaaaaa!! everyone knows that the king's word is final. let us not undermine that ke-bonkhosi
August 12, 2012, 2:43 pm, nhlanhla (zweinsj@yahoo.com)

- Wow! the so-called Minister Ntjangase.Does He knows our "ethics ' as Swazis, I don't think so.The King 's word shall remain final to any situation within Swaziland as the country.
August 12, 2012, 4:36 pm, Sifiso Mgabhi(Bloemfontein SA (malcolm@saymail.co.za)

- Mr editor, i am confused now. Page 4 of the Sunday times say the same minister said he expects all teachers (fired or not) to return to work. Peradventure I need I new set of glasses today. Now you can see that these guys are even above the king (himself). Ewu, laf’elihle kakhulu. I hope the king will read this newspaper and act ngoba phela sive sikhulumile satsi yonkhe lendlu ayibuyele etinkhuleni. The swazi people were speaking their hearts (most of them). Some of us are beginning to think that we need change NOW because the system (tinkhundla) does not work, and thats what most people said during the week. You can tell that the whole week was a waiste of time, ingabe besiyaphi vele nje le-esibayeni umangabe this is the outcome.
August 13, 2012, 4:37 pm, EM Dlamini (emdlamini@gmail.com)

- Swazis told cabinet straight in the eye that they are no longer excited about them. That you have not been sacked does not mean that has changed; Sibusiso and his children no longer have any moral authority to make decisions for Swaziland: SIVE ASISANIFUNI! If Swaziland was democratic, you'd be gone...gone for ever.
August 13, 2012, 4:38 pm, Gcina (dgcinabakhe@yahoo.com)

- Please help me here,who is senior here?The minister of Education,cabinat,the AG or the king?I am really confused because i grew up knowing that the king is mlomo longacalimanga,kambe ngabe sekwashintsha yini yeminister?
August 13, 2012, 4:38 pm, Sinisela (mxolisisinisela@gmail.com)