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COPS FIRE RUBBER BULLETS, TEAR GAS AT TEXTILE WORKERS’ FLATS

04/05/2022 10:05:00 Nhlanganiso Mkhonta

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NHLANGANO – Drama unfolded yesterday at Phola area in Nhlangano when police allegedly arrived unannounced at textile workers’ flats and fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

According to sources close to the matter, the police arrived in the area at around 9am, moved from door-to-door, and told the workers to go to work. Phola is one of the areas mostly inhabited by the textile firms’ workers. The area has numerous one-room flats, known as titimela. The sources narrated that the police came in numbers and were both in uniform and plain clothes, armed with guns. It was gathered that the police allegedly asked the occupants of the flats as to where they worked and if they told them that they worked in the firms, the officers would order the employees to get up and go to work.

Impossible

It was further gathered that the police left the area at 9:30am, heading back to Nhlangano Town. However, at around 10:30am, they came back and that was when the chaos erupted as the police found a trench being dug on the main road leading to Phola, purportedly by the employees, making it impossible for them (police) to drive through. It was stated that the police then decided to walk towards the area and fired tear gas and rubber bullets on the workers who had formed a group. It was further gathered that the police fired tear gas at the doorsteps of the flats, causing the occupants, including children, to inhale the fumes.

Painful

One of the workers who also resides at Phola, said what the police did yesterday was uncalled for and painful to them as workers. *Khabo said the police fired the tear gas several times, leaving the area engulfed in smoke. She said they were now living in fear of the police and yesterday, their efforts to stop them from coming to the area failed as the officers went over the trench that had been dug on the road. She accused the police of shooting willy-nilly all over the area. Khabo, who was interviewed at around 5pm, said police were still patrolling the area even at that hour.

Another worker who was called at around 5pm, alleged that they were seeing some soldiers also patrolling the area. The employee said the situation was tense to an extent that no resident was moving around the area except for the law enforcement agents. Another worker said the police further told them to leave the flats and go to their homes because they were refusing to return to work. Another female employee, who was called at around 6pm, said she was still running from the police in fear after the officers chased them. *Sonto said at some point, the police took her cellphone after they suspected that she was taking pictures. She alleged that the police viewed and commented on her personal pictures.

She alleged that the police insulted her, saying she was not going to work because she was busy looking for male companions. When sought for comment, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said police went to Phola only because the residents had blocked the roads. She said the police went there to clear the roads in order to allow motorists to pass through. Vilakati said she could not confirm or give details of the operations of the police to the media.

Meanwhile, Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) Secretary General (SG) Wonder Mkhonza alleged that the bone of contention was that the Zheng Yong management had roped in the police to go and fetch the workers to come to work in order to push the factory’s immediately needed order. Mkhonza said Zheng Yong had informed some workers that due to pressure, about 200 employees were required to form at least two chains of production. He said unfortunately, only 70 had made it.

He said even the 70 were employees who had not received the message about Monday’s resolution taken by some workers not to return to work. According to Mkhonza, some of the 70 workers went to the firm to collect food parcels that were usually given out by the firm’s management. The food parcels consist of 10kg rice and 10kg mealie-meal. Mkhonza further alleged that the Zheng Yong owner got angry about the poor turnout of workers, such that he roped in the police to assist in bringing in the workers to push the much required orders.