Times Of Swaziland: THREATS FROM ‘COMRADES’ – EDUCATION PS

THREATS FROM ‘COMRADES’ – EDUCATION PS
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BY THOKOZANI MAMBA on 06/12/2021 08:48:00


SITEKI – Bheki Gama, the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education
and Training, claims to be receiving threats from ‘comrades’ for allowing
the reopening of schools.
Gama made the claims when delivering his speech as a guest speaker last Friday
at the Imbuyiselo Academy Honourary Awards, held at the Siteki Town Council
Hall. The PS made the claims when commending parents for allowing children to
attend classes without fail.
Vaccinate
He further encouraged teachers and learners to vaccinate to ensure that lessons
were not disturbed due to the reoccurrence of COVID-19 infections during the
progress of lessons. “I have been threatened that I should not come around
Msunduza because I allowed the reopening of schools. I received a call from
someone I know who alerted me about what some ‘comrades’ were planning
against me. I have survived and thrived through difficult situations as I grew
up ‘Ekasi’ at Msunduza so I am familiar with that life,” he said.
Gama, when asked about the threats after his address, confirmed that he received
threats but he was not deterred. “I was called and told not to set foot at
Msunduza. A friend of mine told me that they were discussing this about me,”
the PS added. When further asked what kind of threats he received, Gama said the
threats were reported to him by someone who warned and alerted him that he must
not set foot at Msunduza as he might be injured due to the fact that he
overheard some ‘comrades’ speaking badly about him for supporting the
reopening of schools.
The PS said he did not report the threats to the police because the perpetrators
did not directly call him to issue them but he was alerted by someone he knew.
Gama said Msunduza was his home and it was baffling that the people who made
those threats were not aware that he grew up there. “Msunduza is my home, I
grew up there. Reopening of schools was not my decision, but a collective one
with all stakeholders involved,” he explained.
Uncertainty
When further quizzed about his safety and if there were any elements of
uncertainty while travelling along the country’s roads and to his place of
abode, Gama said nothing had happened yet. “I received the call alerting me
about the threats during the first week when we reopened the three classes
(Grade VII, Form Iii and Form V) that I shouldn’t pass certain areas,” said
Gama. Coming to his address during the awards function, Gama said the ministry
had noted with a heavy heart the increase in the number of young boys not
interested in continuing with their academic pursuits, but preferred to work in
dagga fields or got odd  jobs to get fast cash. He said some schools were in
shortage of furniture after being burnt down during the unrest, but government
was attending to this to ensure that lessons were not disturbed.