URGENT APPLICATION TO STOP 24-HR BORDER SPECIAL

MBABANE – Immigration officers based at Ngwenya Border Gate have since filed an urgent application where they want the court to stop government from making them work 24 hours over the Easter holidays.

The officers filed the application through their union, the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU).
Further details of it will be heard today in the Industrial Court at 10am but it was confirmed that their grievances bordered around their impasse with government regarding overtime payment and shift allowance.
Information gathered is that the Immigration workers will be represented by a lawyer from Sithole and Magagula Attorneys. In an interview, the officers said nothing formal had been communicated to them regarding their pending issues with government.

They alleged that one of their seniors said he would work alone from 7am till 8am.
However, this allegation could not be verified.
The officers, who fall under the Ministry of Home Affairs, said they still stood by their decision that all three shifts will start work at 8am and knock off at 12.45pm today. Oshoek/Ngwenya Border Gate opens at 7am everyday and the workers said they would start work like other civil servants an hour later and knock off at 12.45pm because it ‘will be a half day’.

Yesterday they held a meeting with their superiors where one of them (superiors) allegedly said he would be opening at the normal time and if he is to work alone he would do that. When they enquired from the supervisor as to what would happen at 12.45pm, he allegedly did not have a response as the workers informed him that they were adamant they would not work if they do not get a positive response on putting them in the shift system.
“We have different supervisors for the different shifts and it is only one who said he will work. They have not said anything to us so we are going ahead with our decision to knock off like civil servants tomorrow,” one of the staff members said.

Meanwhile, Acting Chief Immigration Officer Makhosi Simelane said it would be unfortunate if the workers continue disagreeing with what they had agreed on last week Friday.
Simelane said they would open the border gate at 7am and continue with the extension of hours regardless of who decides to do what. He emphasised that what they have committed themselves to will happen come rain or sunshine.

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