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PUBLIC SERVANTS’ TOYI-TOYI ROLLED OUT IN EIGHT TOWNS

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MBABANE – It’s on! The much-talked about nationwide strike action by public servants kicks off tomorrow in eight of the country’s major towns and cities.


With government having failed in a last ditch effort on Friday to convince the public sector associations’ leadership to call-off the industrial action, the union’s have since announced eight places where the demonstrations will take place.
These towns and cities have been identified as Mbabane, Manzini, Pigg’s Peak, Madlangempisi, Bhunya, Mankayane, Siteki and Nhlangano.


This was confirmed yesterday by Simanga Khumalo, the Deputy Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT).
Other PSAs that are part of the strike action are the National Public Servants and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), the Swaziland National Association and Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP) and the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU).


Khumalo said members of these organisations were expected to meet in the eight towns and cities as early as 9am, but the activities were scheduled to commence at 10am.
“There will be marches, pickets and sensitisation of the public on the issues that public servants want government to address. We will picket at government offices in these towns and cities where we will also deliver petitions,” he said.

contents of the petitions


Khumalo stated that the contents of the petitions will be around the cost of living adjustments (CoLA) they have been demanding from government in the past two years.
“Our salaries are currently disadvantaged by 14.4 per cent if you consider that we first asked for an adjustment of 7.85 per cent and then 6.55 per cent but government offered us zero per cent in both years. We will therefore be expressing that discontentment and making our demand clear that we deserve the cost of living adjustments so that we can live a life that befits human beings,” he said.


He said the decision to roll out the protest actions to these eight town and cities was to cut down on costs, especially transport, because their members were broke.
“Our members therefore will convene in areas that are near their workstations so there will be no need for transport arrangement but, where necessary, the leadership will make an arrangement,” Khumalo said.
He said they did not expect to encounter any problems with the police because the strike action was a legal one.


“As unions, we provide our own marshals that work collaboratively with the police. We have met with the police to determine the routes for our marches and also spoke to leaders of municipalities where necessary. So we expect everything to be smooth,” Khumalo added.


In a statement issued on Friday, the SNAT leadership urged all their members and the wider Eswatini society to participate in the strike action.
“Every Swazi citizen who associates with our plight as Public Sector Workers is invited to take part in this national activity,” said the statement.


In the statement, which was issued by Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini, it was highlighted that the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) tried but failed to persuade the national office bearers of the four PSAs to call off the strike, arguing that government had no money to meet the workers’ CoLA demand.

possible to adjust salaries


Dlamini said the GNT further argued that even in the next financial year (2019/2020), it would not be possible for government to adjust salaries of civil servants.
He said the GNT hinted that a probable three per cent adjustment could be effected in the financial year 2020/2021.
“PSAs’ executives did not accept the joke and insult that was tabled by the GNT. With proper tools of analysis, this corroborates the fact that they (GNT) were playing mind games and that they were really taking us for a ride, an act they seldom do,” said Dlamini in the statement.


He said the final resolution from the PSAs was to continue with the strike action.
However, Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane rebuffed that assetion saying govt did not withdraw the offer.
Running parallel to the GNT meeting with the PSAs on Friday was a meeting that the Ministry of Education and Training held with head teachers where the latter were made to sign ‘commitment forms’ ordering them to ensure that their subordinates would be in their respective schools, teaching.

 

 
 
 

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