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Education minister in trouble

14/08/2012 00:00:00 SENZO DLAMINI

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MBABANE – Traditional authorities are scrutinising the statement made by Wilson Makhalemphi Ntshangase on the fired teachers which has been viewed by others as contradicting an earlier pronouncement by His Majesty the King.

Ntshangase is the Minister of Education and Training.

In an interview with the Times on Sunday, Ntshangase said all the fired teachers remained fired pending a Cabinet decision on the matter.

This is despite that His Majesty King Mswati III, in his national address when officially closing the People’s Parliament on Saturday, ordered all teachers to return to work.

Acting Ludzidzini Governor Timothy Velabo Mtetwa, in an interview yesterday, stressed that no individual had the right to overturn anything promulgated by the King.

Mtetwa said he was still to analyse the statement by the minister in order to detect whether it had an element of defiance on the speech delivered by His Majesty.

He emphasised that, culturally, anyone found to have crossed the authorities was subjected to punishment in the form of a fine.

"You better wait for me to understand exactly what he meant by saying all fired teachers should remain at home pending a Cabinet decision," stated the acting traditional prime minister.

Mtetwa, who is also the acting Governor of Zombodze Royal Residence, reiterated that culture dictated that any word uttered by the King was final to everyone.

"We cannot afford to have a Kingdom where citizens will act against the orders of the authorities," he added.

Minister Ntshangase said the Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini-led Cabinet was still to deliberate on the issue of the fired teachers.

Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini said only Cabinet could reinstate the teachers.

The Ministry of Education and Training endorsed the decision to dismiss the teachers a fortnight ago.

This was after the members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) engaged in a seven-week protest action dubbed ‘Waya Waya’.

After the dismissals, SNAT successfully applied for an interdict at the Industrial Court.

The teachers engaged in the protest action in a bid to compel government to award a 4.5 hike on their salaries.

"Everyone heard what the King said," briefly remarked Education and Training Minister Wilson Ntshangase yesterday.

Ntshangase said he was not prepared to discuss the issue of teachers any further.

King doesn’t lie - Muzi Mhlanga

MBABANE – Muzi Mhlanga, the SNAT Secretary General, has wondered whether Cabinet’s powers superseded those of His Majesty King Mswati III.

Mhlanga, in an interview yesterday, said the King was regarded as someone who does not tell lies (Umlomo longacali manga).

He said, in his entire life, he had never heard of a scenario whereby a speech on any issue by the Head of State would be debated and discussed in another forum.

"It’s surprising that Cabinet can have an opinion on a matter that has been dealt with by the King," said the secretary general. "What they’ve done is an indication that they have given themselves powers they do not have."

He stressed that no structure was allowed to discuss what had been promulgated by His Majesty.

Minister singing a different tune

MBABANE – All the fired teachers will heave a sigh of relief to hear that Wilson Ntshangase, the Minister of Education and Training, is now singing a different tune.

Ntshangase, in a brief interview yesterday, said: "Everyone heard what the King said."

His statement was corroborated by Government Press Secretary, Percy Simelane.

Simelane stated: "As the King said (kunjengoba Inkhosi yasho)." The pair literally refused to respond to further questions regarding their statements.

Muzi Mhlanga, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) said this effectively meant that all the teachers would return to work as ordered by His Majesty King Mswati III.

Mhlanga said the statement by Simelane was good music to the teachers’ ears, in particular those who were sacked by government a fortnight ago.

"This will definitely normalise the situation in all the schools around the country," he noted. "The teachers would be pleased to learn that they’ve been reinstated as per the order of the King."

The secretary general said Minister Ntshangase was wrong to issue a statement that fired teachers remained fired.

The minister had said the teachers would remain at home pending a Cabinet decision on the matter.

SNAT pleads with govt on no-work-no-pay rule

MBABANE – SNAT Secretary General Muzi Mhlanga has pleaded with government not to effect the infamous no-work no-pay on the teachers’ salaries for the current month.

In an interview yesterday, Mhlanga said the ruling by His Majesty King Mswati III had put paid to any matter between the teachers and their employer (government).

"As per the order by the King, both government and SNAT should start on a clean slate and let bygones be bygones," he stated. "The King has spoken and every Swazi is compelled to abide by the order." Mhlanga said, as teachers, they were heavily indebted to His Majesty for having made a ruling on the matter between them and government.

No letters withdrawing dismissals

MANZINI – Sacked teachers resumed their duties without letters withdrawing the termination of their services at St Theresa’s Primary School yesterday.

When the Times reporters visited the school, all the dismissed teachers were found busy in classrooms.

The School’s Grantee George Dludlu, who was running the affairs of the school in the absence of the teachers last week, was said to be in a meeting with the Teaching Service Commission in Mbabane.

He was said to have gone there in the company of the school Principal Dan Dlamini and other parents.

The Deputy Principal, Agnes Lupupa said all the dismissed teachers were present and busy with their work.

"Since His Majesty said all teachers must return to work today, we did as instructed," she said. Lupupa is one of the teachers who were dismissed for allegedly absenting themselves from school to join a strike organised by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) in June and July.

She said the only incident witnessed yesterday was when a new teacher appointed by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) arrived to assume his duties.

"We told him that the authorities were not at school and advised him to come back later," she said.

All 16 teachers including the principal were sacked at St Theresa’s Primary School about two weeks ago. When new teachers arrived last week, Dludlu turned them away and said he was still to consult the TSC on their employment.

Parents in a meeting last Wednesday said they would not accept the new teachers.

COMMENTS:

- Sorry Mgazi for saying a naked truth, you have said so and it's the truth. Nothing can be ever implemented in this country that is in contrary to what Sibusiso has suggested. Remeber what he said some few years back, he is a lightning arrestor, taking care of everything capable of causing damage. It's a pity some brands of arrestors are very sensitive in that they trip even when the effect is very negligible like the teachers strike. Who cares?
August 14, 2012, 9:02 am, Reputation kills

- That is Swaziland for your, a laughing stock in the internatioanal community. This a result of having two governments. The one led by Sibusiso and the one led by labadzala. It seems the Sibusiso led is not his majesty's government anymore. If it was his it would have not defied his order. Bekunene kwentenjani siloywe ngubani kepha, longazutsi wonkhe umuntfu kulelive uyagula. Inyandzaleyo Simakadze silamulele!
August14, 2011, 9:02 pm, Happiness Shongwe (hs@shongwe)

- this thing of two goverments seems like it is not properly working for the country now we are all confused, who is wrong and who is right,Normally once the Lion has roared every have to be silent
August 14, 2012, 11:02 am, sandile simelane (sandilesimelane10@yahoo.com)

- Uyati technically Babe Wilson was correct in saying teachers who have been dismissed should not return to school. That makes perfect sense legally. There are procedures that need to be followed when employing or re-employing teachers. Manje ke having said that, we live in a kingdom which is governed by an absolute monarch. As such, if the king declares something, that will be promulgated as a decree and it is final and binding on all concerned under the kingdom. The kings word is law. Now, I would have felt some pity for Mr Ntshangase if he would have calmly stated from where his authority came from, thus showing us that he was merely following provisions stipulated in the Employment Act. But No!! He was very loud and somewhat arrogant with a 'nomakanjani teachers must wait for cabinet' attitude and that is undoubtedly the most disrespectful thing I've seen as a Swazi.
August 14, 2012, 11:03 am, Gugu Phiri

- We should excuse the vacillation of the Minister of Education. Anyone being subjected to extreme pressure from opposing sides is bound to start talking 'in tongues'. Maybe the Minister should have first consulted the Prime Minister before issuing the right statement, which is that ALL teachers must return to class. It is too obvious that the minister has been forced to retract his statement because a seriously aggrieved person(s) in cabinet still wants 'his pound of flesh' from the teachers. Some people lost their respect at Sibaya. It so happens that if these people are the sort that don't forget easily and have vindictive hearts naturally, we should expect more conflicting tongues from Minister Wilson. I think it's tough to work for this cabinet if you're a minister because they accuse you of speaking 'out of turn' even when you're telling the "Royal" truth. Minister Wilson told the royal truth from the beginning and as Swazis, it's the only truth that we know. Any other 'truth' is not acceptable unless cabinet is attempting a palace coup in broad daylight which is a definite 'No-No' by Swazi standards. The king has spoken and ours is to say Bayethe and then shut up. Apparently, cabinet allegedly thinks otherwise and that's very regrettable to say the least.
August 14, 2012, 5:10 pm, Thoughts Without Borders (thoughts@yahoo.com)