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NATCOM SUMMONS COPS TO MEET

11/10/2022 08:40:00 Stanley Khumalo

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MANZINI – The National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police William Tsitsibala Dlamini, has summoned police officers to an ‘important’ meeting today.

The meeting was communicated to the police officers a day after lowly ranked law enforcers from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) resolved to deliver a petition to the Prime Minister (PM), Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, who is also the Minister of Police. The junior officers had also vowed to deliver petitions to the Minister of Public Service, Mabulala Maseko, as they cited him for being responsible for the issuance of circulars dealing with remuneration in the civil service as well as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Pholile Shakantu – who is also responsible for His Majesty’s Correctional Service (HMCS). Subsequent to this, the NATCOM communicated with all police bases countrywide that today, a special briefing meeting shall be held at the Matsapha Police Academy.

Monitoring

There are about 23 police stations, 22 police posts, and 12 border posts, as well as one airport security monitoring post. These police posts and police stations are subordinated to the four regional headquarters and there is also a support unit and a police college subordinated to the executive command. Dlamini, in the communication dated October 8, 2022, informed all commanding officers and all ranks about the meeting scheduled for 10:30am. In his correspondence to the police bases, the NATCOM communicated that the meeting would be addressing officers on pertinent operational and administrative issues. In the 204 words letter, Dlamini listed the designations of the police officers he expected to attend the meeting.
He said: “Attending this important meeting shall be as follows: all regional commissioners, all station commanders, all members of the national executive committee (NEC) of the Police Staff Association, five police officers per regional headquarters drawn from all the ranks categories available, five officers from each police station drawn from all ranks available and five officers from all Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) bases drawn from all the ranks.”

Venue

Furthermore, the NATCOM requested the acting regional commissioner Police Academy to prepare a suitable venue with a sitting capacity of not less than 170 police officers. He also requested the regional commissioner for OSSU to provide a public address system (or PA system). A PA System is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment and is used for large gatherings. Lastly, Dlamini said: “Regional commissioners are to ensure attendance and provide transport for all with strict regard to economy.” Following this communication to all police bases, the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, was sought for comment to establish if the meeting was called to address the concerns raised by junior personnel in the REPS. Vilakati said: “The meeting is to address internal issues.” It is worth noting that this publication yesterday reported that junior police officers and lowly ranked warders were planning to deliver petitions to the PM and two other ministers this week.

Resolution

This was a resolution taken in a meeting by over 50 law enforcement officers, following the protracted salary restructuring exercise, which saw their leaders getting an increment. In the latest twist of events, junior officers from HMCS and those from the REPS summoned the task team assigned with dealing with the impact of the non-implementation of this phase. It was said the junior law enforcers from both entities were reportedly angry, with some shedding tears over the frustrations they had endured regarding their anticipation of Phase II of the restructuring exercise. Impeccable sources said the officers reportedly informed the task team that they had not at any instance stated that they would not engage in an industrial action.
The junior officers said there should be a statement which shall explicitly communicate that they had never said they would not protest or engage in a strike.

Meeting

It was gathered that the officers recited a resolution they expressed in the last meeting, which was to seek legal recourse regarding the salary restructuring exercise, write to the minister of Public Service and lastly, pay a courtesy call on His Majesty King Mswati III. However, during the meeting, the lowly ranked law enforcers said they could not engage their first resolution (seeking legal recourse) because when their task team engaged the minister, he said the document would not be implemented. The officers collectively emphasised that they sought to benefit from the salary restructuring exercise as they engaged in dangerous work and they were currently at the receiving end of violence meted supposedly by a clique against the current system of government.

Concerns

The concerns of the junior officers are the prolonged implementation of the Phase II of the restructuring exercise of 2014. Another concern was the joint task team report, which recommended that junior officers who occupied lower ranks (sergeants /sergeant instructors, warder instructors and constables/warders) in the police and Correctional services should get three per cent compensation from the Phase II of the restructuring exercise of 2014, while those in the ranks between assistant inspectors/assistant chief officers and superintendents should enjoy a salary upgrade that would range between 8.1 per cent and 22.6 per cent. The matter started in July 7, 2014 when government, through the Ministry of Public Service issued Circular No.2 of 2014 for the implementation of the restructuring programme for the REPS and HMCS. This was structured to be in two phases; Phase I, which covered the strategic levels of the two services and Phase II being the tactical layer. Phase I was implemented Phase II was not.