Times Of Swaziland: FIRED SOLDIERS HOPE NEW ARMY CHIEF  WILL RESPECT COURT

FIRED SOLDIERS HOPE NEW ARMY CHIEF  WILL RESPECT COURT
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BY KWANELE DLAMINI on 04/07/2019 01:37:00


MBABANE – One thing the soldiers, who were dismissed and never reinstated
despite court orders to that effect, are hoping for in the appointment of the
new army commander is that he will respect court orders.
Army Commander Lieutenant General Jeffrey Tshabalala was appointed last Saturday
by His Majesty the King during the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force’s (UEDF)
46th Army Day, which was held at the Army Headquarters at Nokwane.
The lieutenant general replaced General Sobantu Dlamini, who is now a member of
the King’s Advisory Council.
Before Sobantu was redeployed to the advisory council, a group of disgruntled
soldiers resolved to attack him at his place of abode at Nkhaba.
The about 15 soldiers accused Sobantu of having dismissed them from work despite
that there were court orders directing the army to reinstate them.
However, some of the affected soldiers came out to state that attacking Sobantu
would not solve their issues and they refused to be counted among those who
wanted to attack the former army commander.
Sobantu said he was ready for those who wanted to attack him and went on to
state that he would wait for them with his firearm. He said he was justified to
dismiss the soldiers from work and would do it again if he had to.
One of the soldiers who said they would attack the former army commander, Madoda
Dlamini, yesterday congratulated Tshabalala on his appointment.
Madoda was dismissed despite that the High Court had ordered that he be
transferred to another camp.
Dismissed
However, he said the commanding officers did not want to accept him and he was
eventually dismissed from the army.
In an interview, Madoda was quick to state that they were hoping that Tshabalala
would respect court orders.
He said it was amazing that when the court orders are issued, the judge sits
next to the portrait of His Majesty the King and the Queen Mother.
He mentioned that this meant that even the King and Queen Mother respect the
courts and the rulings they make on a daily basis.
Madoda said it was inconceivable why orders the court issued in respect of their
matters, especially on their reinstatement, were allegedly not complied with.
Another soldier whose services were terminated but was never reinstated as per
former High Court Judge Thomas Masuku’s order about a decade ago,
Nkosikayikhethi Nxumalo, shared Madoda’s sentiments.
Nxumalo also congratulated Tshabalala on his appointment and added that they
expected him to respect the courts and their orders. He said he could not say
much because he has a pending case at the High Court regarding the termination
of his services.
“I have a pending case in court and I cannot say much. I will say whatever I
have to say when I have my day in court. That is where I will spill the
beans,” Nxumalo said.
Disrespecting
He also mentioned that failure to comply with a court order was tantamount to
disrespecting the King. He said even the judges who issue the orders were
appointed by His Majesty the King.
After Sobantu was deployed to the King’s Advisory Council, Madoda said they
were not deterred as the redeployment did not change the fact that he was the
one who took the decision to dismiss them from work.
“Being redeployed does not exonerate him.  He must be arrested for having
defied a litany of court orders directing him to reinstate us,” said the livid
Madoda.
In 2012, Madoda hogged headlines when he took the army to court after alleging
that he was being threatened in the army. He was branded a rebel by army
authorities for his controversies and his ability to challenge his authorities.
He challenged his then employer that he was constructively dismissed from the
army and sought an order directing the UEDF to pay him E326 253 as his terminal
benefits. He alleged that the army constructively and unfairly terminated his
services as a soldier.