THE PRICE OF THE HOLIDAY CONFUSION

MBABANE – For the past two days, there has been confusion in the country regarding whether or not today is a public holiday.

Over the years, April 19 has been known to be a holiday marking the birth of His Majesty King Mswati III. 
His Majesty turns 46 today.

Despite an early announcement by government that the King’s birthday shall be celebrated on April 24 this year, most people were of the belief that today would still remain a holiday.

resume

As such, most companies and business closed for the holidays on Thursday and informed their staffers and customers that business would resume on Tuesday, under the belief today would be a holiday.
The confusion has affected many people, including people who had plans to go outside the country to either attend Easter services or to just enjoy themselves in foreign countries.

Others even took leave from work, under the impression of a long Easter weekend.
A security guard employed by one of the security firms in Mbabane said he was recalled back to work by his bosses on Thursday evening, despite having been allowed to go on a short leave.

He explained the inconvenience of having to travel back to Mbabane from Mahlalini in Nhlangano, his home area.
“This holiday confusion has really cost a lot of us. I was given the short leave from work because of the thinking was that April 19 would be a holiday. I travelled home and expected to be with my family and return to work on Tuesday.

“All that has changed; my bosses have recalled me after learning that actually April 19 would not be a holiday this year. I had to quickly source money and travel back to Mbabane,” he said.

So serious was the holiday confusion such that on Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs ran an announcement on national radio, to clarify that the April 19 holiday had been revoked and moved to April 24.

Despite the radio announcement which was ran for the whole day on Thursday, some people were still calling the Times of Swaziland newsroom yesterday, wanting to know the true position.
Sanelisiwe Dlamini, employed by one of the big supermarkets in the city centre, said she had to cut short her scheduled trip to Morea in South Africa to attend Easter services.
“My superiors had allowed me to travel to Morea because we thought Saturday would be a holiday and we would not be working.

confusing

On Thursday evening, I was called and told to cancel the trip and come to work on Saturday. It was all confusing and I think the radio advert helped a little even though the whole thing inconvenienced a lot of us,” she said.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Anthony Masilela, when called yesterday, said the matter was now beyond him and referred all questions to the minister.

Home Affairs Minister Princess Tsandzile said the matter had been explained through the radio announcement.
She said as far as she was concerned, there was no confusion and the perceived confusion was self-created by some members of the public.

announcement

“What confusion because we explained this issue through the announcement we ran on radio yesterday (Thursday)? I-confusion bantfu batibangele bona because you don’t declare a holiday before a gazette has been issued.

“You don’t take a holiday without an announcement from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Who said April 19 is a holiday this year? (Kushito bani kutsi mhlaka 19 liholide?) We announced a long time ago that April 24 will be the King’s birthday, why should April 19 also be a holiday?” she wondered.

The minister repeatedly explained that the holiday had been shifted to April 24, 2014.
“A gazette has been issued and April 24 is a public holiday and that automatically revokes April 19 from being a holiday. We explained this in the radio announcement so that everyone could hear,” she said.
 


 

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