PM ATTACK AT MAY DAY OFFSIDE – POLITICAL ANALYSTS

MBABANE – Popular opinion is that workers acted self-destructively by denying Prime Minister Russell Dlamini the opportunity to speak during the May Day commemoration at the Prince of Wales Sports Ground during the Workers’ Day.

The event was organised by the Trade Union Congress of Eswatini (TUCOSWA). Former trade unionists and political commentators said government could use the hostility towards the PM against the workers. Others said workers missed an opportunity to pick the brains of the PM and determine his sincerity in dealing with workers’ issues. “Hulumende bamfake emafahlawane (government is rejoicing),” said Elliot Mkhatshwa, a former Leader of the Swaziland National Association of Civil Servants (SNACS), now known as the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU).

Shocking

Mkhatshwa said the workers’ reaction to the PM was shocking, wrong and unbelievable. “It was totally wrong to deny the head of government the opportunity to speak. We do not know what that really means. The PM had a right to say something,” he said. Mkhatshwa said the PM’s decision to attend the May Day was to be considered an advantage to emaSwati who have been calling for dialogue. He said: “If the dialogue has presented itself to us, we were supposed to grab it with both hands and convey our concerns. It was going to be easy to express our issues to the PM, than sending the minister to speak on our behalf, which could take a long time.” he said.

He said had this happened during his time, he was going to warmly welcome the PM, because that would be a chance to express workers’ concerns to him. He wondered how those workers who denied the PM the opportunity to speak arrived at that decision. Mkhatshwa, who is now Chairperson of the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA), said the hostile workers should have looked for other means to vent their dissatisfaction to their leaders. “The world is watching. What will people say regarding such an act? What they did was very wrong,” he said.

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