TAMBANKULU ESTATES STRIKE TURNS VIOLENT

MBABANE – The strike at Tambankulu Estates has turned violent.This is according to an application by the company at the Industrial Court. 

The company was seeking an interdict against the Swaziland Agricultural Plantation and Allied Workers Union (SAPAWU) and eight others from destroying the company’s property while pursuing their strike action. According to a founding affidavit by George White, the General Manager of the company, on Monday, the strike action took a sudden turn and became violent.

He said the members of the union carried all sorts of weapons from slashers, knobkerries and sticks and advanced to the administration block. “They started banging the doors, in particular the door leading to the office of the Human resources (HR) manager, chanting slogans alleging and accusing her of refusing to meet their demands,” White alleged. He alleged that the workers started cutting flowers situated at the entrance of their administration block and destroying big flower pots.

He said they also blocked the company bus which was carrying employees - not engaged in the protest action - from work to their respective places of abode.  He said they threatened to drag the employees out of the bus and deal with them accordingly. He alleged that on the same day, they set alight a sugar cane field which was almost ready for harvesting measuring approximately 47.9 hectares. He said had it not been for the swift action by the Fire and Emergency Services Department , the whole field and adjacent fields would have been consumed by the fire.

Destruction

White said the destruction was limited to 0.216 hectares of sugar cane plantation. He also said some of the workers were seen loitering and picketing at the HR’s place of residence, which was a sign of danger and a threat to the life of  the manager. White alleged that on Wednesday, the workers broke down windows in the administration block.

“In fact, they were stating in unequivocal terms that none of the company’s management would leave the offices without their demands being met,” he said.
White said all this happened while members of the Royal Swaziland Police (RSP) watched helplessly as they had no court order authorising them to intervene.

He said although the strike was initially protected by the provisions of the Industrial relations Act, such was no longer the case as it was now being used as a vehicle to perpetrate unlawful conduct.

“The applicant has tried all within its powers to reason with the respondents but they are adamant in making demands which will ultimately lead to the applicant being bankrupt and the first respondents’s members losing their jobs,” White said. Acting Judge Nkosinathi Nkonyane, who sat with Simon Mvubu and Mathokoza Mtsetfwa, made an interim order interdicting the workers from engaging in any form of violence and destroying the company’s property.

The workers were also interdicted from threatening violence against members of the management and any employees not taking part in the strike action. “The RSP is hereby directed to assist in giving effect to the orders of this honourable court. Respondents are granted leave to anticipate the interim order on no less that 24 hours notice to the applicant,” reads the order.

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