Times Of Swaziland: 3-DAY MARCH: CIVIL SERVANTS FACE NO-WORK, NO-PAY, DC

3-DAY MARCH: CIVIL SERVANTS FACE NO-WORK, NO-PAY, DC
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BY SIBUSISO SHANGE on 26/10/2021 08:56:00


MBABANE - Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko has made it clear that
government will apply the no-work, no-pay rule and further take disciplinary
action against civil servants who will participate in the march slated for later
this week.
The minister was speaking on national radio yesterday morning. Maseko said in as
much as workers had a right to voice out their grievances, they should consider
sticking to the confines of the law. The minister stated that workers who would
participate in an unlawful march risked being marked absent from work. He said
the ministry would take disciplinary action against absent employees.
Disciplinary
Maseko stated that part of the disciplinary measures included the no-work,
no-pay rule and disciplinary hearing which might result in some losing their
jobs if found guilty. Asked during an interview if the ministry had a monitoring
tool in place, Maseko stated that each ministry had human resources managers and
under secretaries to monitor the attendance lists of employees.
He said those lists would be used to ascertain those who decided to absent
themselves from work. At the time, the minister had heard that TUCOSWA would
engage in a three-day march, meaning civil servants might be absent from work
for three days. The minister stated that he had an open door policy where civil
servants were expected to discuss their issues as opposed to marches. Maseko
also warned health workers who were reportedly neglecting patients in hospitals.
He stated that health workers had no right to neglected patients in hospitals.
In vernacular, he said; “Nalo lilahle emhlane kulabo labagodla emandla
emsebentini’, meaning those who neglect patients will suffer the consequences.
Intimidation
Responding to the minister, Acting TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina said
workers were used to intimidation. “Let us warn those who think they can stand
on the rights of workers individually. Once workers are provoked, they will
retaliate,” he said. He added that the union had appealed to government to
cooperate during the one day march. When asked if TUCOSWA had money to
compensate the workers should government decide to invoke the no-work no-pay
rule, Gina did not give a direct response. Instead, he asked this reporter if he
was aware that some employers could fire their employees without a reason. He
then stated that the union would have to defend the unfair labour practice.
Gina had been asked how they intended to march in the country’s major towns
following the ban of granting of permits by municipalities. The ban was
announced by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane in a
press conference last week. This was after the National Commissioner of Police
William Tsitsibala Dlamini had stopped a march which was proposed by publi
sector associations (PSAs). Prince Simelane announced the ban after the
Municipal Council of Mbabane had granted the permission.
Worth noting was that the minister’s decision attracted criticisms from
several sectors of society, including some Members of Parliament. Gina said
following the decision by Prince Simelane, TUCOSWA had decided to write a letter
to him. “We have decided to write to the minister personally because he banned
the municipalities from issuing the permits. What should be noted is that we
were not obliged to write to him. We believe he will call us if he sees a need,
otherwise we will deliver our petitions in the entire major towns on
Thursday,” Gina said. The major towns are Mbabane Manzini, Nhlangano, Siteki,
Pigg’s Peak, Hluti, according to Gina.
He mentioned that the union would deliver petitions to the Ministry of
Information, Communication and Technology and that of Housing and Urban
Development. Gina said they would also foster the proposed dialogue as the
frustration of workers could be dealt with through the dialogue.
Intention
He stated that the Public Order Act was clear that the people should notify the
municipality about their intention to march in towns. He emphasised that the
Public Order Act did not speak about seeking the permission but spoke about
notifying the municipality about the intention to march. “The Public Order Act
is clear that the municipality can meet us if it sees a need to discuss certain
issues ahead of the march. If the municipality sees no need for a discussion, it
can grant the permit without even meeting us. There is nowhere that the Public
Order Act speaks about the minister,” he said. However, the minister could not
be reached for a comment as his cellphone rang unanswered. He was called to
confirm if he had really received the letter from TUCOSWA.