CHAOS AS SOME SNAT MEMBERS ACCOMPANY MBONGWA TO DC

MBABANE – Boisterous!

Civil servants at the Ministry of Education and Training had a rough start to the day yesterday morning, as the association of teachers turned the ministry into a boisterous environment.
This was when some branch leaders and members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) National Executive Committee (NEC) went to the ministry’s building and created chaos that brought the entire building to a standstill. The incident took place yesterday morning as the members were accompanying SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini. Dlamini had been invited to appear before the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), yesterday at 9am, over the 109 charges of alleged absenteeism. According to the SNAT Secretary General (SG), Lot Vilakati, the association received the invitation on Monday afternoon.

He said what raised questions was why the TSC had summoned the SNAT president when his charges were dropped by the Industrial Court and government was ordered to repay Dlamini.
Just two weeks ago, the association of teachers’ members were at the Ministry of Education and Training, where they demanded the reinstatement of their president’s July salary, which was eventually paid on July 27, 2023.  The SG said it was hard for them to understand why the TSC pursued a matter that had been finalised in court. He said the summoning of the president by TSC was a victimisation, ridiculing and belittling the president.

He said the TSC did as it pleased to teachers. Vilakati said what pained them the most was that the TSC allegedly continued to victimise teachers, more especially SNAT members, despite raising the concerns to their mother ministry. He said it was for that reason they opted to come to the ministry’s boardroom where the meeting was to take place. Upon arrival at the ministry, the SNAT members brought operations to a standstill, as no one could leave or enter the building through the main entrance. The SNAT members, who were led by the members of the NEC and branch leaders, entered the ministry, chanting and dancing.

Gathering

Before entering the ministry’s offices, as they were gathering themselves outside, the TSC commissioners were seen entering the ministry to the boardroom, where the meeting was supposed to take place. It was not long after they had entered that the SNAT members started singing along the corridors, more especially along the offices of the TSC. They even used megaphones inside the offices, while walking and jumping along the corridors. Some of the songs where inviting the TSC officials to come to them as they were waiting for them. One of the songs that was led by the SG went; ‘Woza yeNkululeko (one of TSC officials) sikulindile’. Speeches were also made along the corridors. While the unusual activities were taking place, some workers who were already in the offices were forced to leave their offices due to the noise. They said they could not even make phone calls and carry out their duties. The activity took about 45 minutes inside the offices before the SNAT members went outside. As they left the offices, they kept shouting that they would return.

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