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SENATORS SAY NO TO PROBING OF POLICE

30/06/2017 00:40:00 BY NTOMBI MHLONGO

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LOBAMBA – With the country having scored a seat in the ILO Governing body, it would not be proper to probe the police service.

The reason is that such a move would put the country in bad light at the international labour agency, whose responsibility is to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes aimed at promoting decent work for all women and men across the globe.

This follows the throwing out of a motion by senators which moved that the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, should investigate the causes of the alarming rate of criminal offences allegedly committed by members of the Royal Swaziland Police service.
According to the motion, the PM was expected to submit a report to Senate detailing whether the Police Act No.29 of 1957, the Police Regulations of 1957, Police Force Orders and any other disciplinary code applicable to police officers, were still effective enough to ensure a disciplined police service that inspired the public’s confidence.

The motion was moved by Senator Lungile Gama and seconded by Senator Lindiwe Ngwenya and both of them left the House disappointed as almost all the senators spoke in one voice that it was not the right time to call for such an investigation.
Another reason for throwing out the motion was that, such a probe would be a waste of money as a similar one was conducted by the National Commissioner of Police, Isaac Magagula, a few years ago.

Senator Meninjeni Mahlalela said the motion was offside in that it touched on the work that was done by the courts, yet it was not procedural to challenge that, especially when officers were acquitted of criminal offences. Mahlalela said the nation had just received the report from the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Winnie Magagula, that the country had been recognised at the ILO Conference which meant that it was expected to lead by example.