Times Of Swaziland: GOVT APPLIES TO STOP PSAS’ STRIKE

GOVT APPLIES TO STOP PSAS’ STRIKE
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BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE  on 02/10/2019 00:42:00


MBABANE - Government has filed an urgent application to stop the strike action
by the public sector associations (PSA         s).
The urgent application was filed by Attorney General Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo
yesterday, at around 6pm.
Respondents in the matter are the National Public Service and Allied Workers
Union (NAPSAWU) and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers SNAT.
The AG averred that the ongoing strike action, which commenced on September 23,
2019, had gone beyond a labour dispute between the government and the unions.
According to Khumalo, the strike action has become untenable due to its threats
to national interest.
Disrupted
He informed the court that the members of the respondents disrupted the
operations of schools.
“They intimidate and threaten to harm teachers who have exercised their right
not to strike. They have vandalised properties at the Ministry of Public Service
and Duze Primary School.  They expose children to harm by dispersing them out of
their classes,” submitted the AG.
He went on to inform the court that pupils suffered psychological trauma of
being torn between those teachers who wanted to teach them and those who forced
them out of the classrooms.
“The respondents have shut and still threatened to shut down towns, disrupt
the transport, health, schools and government ministries by causing a total
shutdown of all these services per their conduct from the commencement of the
strike,” he argued.
According to the AG, members of the respondents had mobilised public transport
vehicle operators who had joined in as sympathisers and shut down public
transport at Malkerns on September 27, 2019.
Khumalo alleged that it was apparent that the harm to be occasioned by the
strike could not be substantially remedied at a hearing in due course.
“If the continued strike is not interdicted, the nature of the harm to the
economy of Eswatini will be irreversible and prejudicial to the country at
large. The lives of teachers and pupils will also be endangered, particularly
those who were dragged out of their classrooms,” contended the AG.
Meanwhile, in his founding affidavit, Minister of Labour and Social Security
Makhosi Computer Vilakati stated that the ongoing strike has gone beyond a
labour dispute between the State and the unions. The minister told the court
that members of the respondents were allegedly so reckless that they invaded
Nyakatfo High School on September 25, 2019 and allegedly terrorised pupils and
teachers.
Fled
“The pupils fled through the classroom windows. A Form II pupil is currently
admitted to the Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital after he was stabbed by a
window pane in the knee and lost his synovial fluid. He might end up
paralysed,” alleged the minister.
Minister Vilakati went on to tell the court that  another pupil at KaMkhweli
Primary School was on September 25, 2019 allegedly beaten by the on strike
members of the respondents while hiding in class.
He alleged that at some schools, the members of the respondents were met with
resistance from the pupils and their pro- work teachers who fought them back.
Vilakati argued that this conduct put the life and safety of the pupils in
danger. “Pupils should always be under the care and custody of either parents
or their teachers. They should not be forcefully exposed to the strike with
attendant risk to life and limbs,” he argued.
According to the minister, the respondents had left some of the schools’ head
teachers with a threat of arson and against their families.
He also pointed out that members of the respondents had allegedly threatened to
shut down towns, disrupt the transport, health, schools and government
ministries.
“They indeed shut down Manzini City on September 24, 2019 and Mbabane on
September 25, 2019. In both cities, the violent strikers deviated from the
routes arranged for them and brought both the private and public transport to a
standstill,” submitted the minister.