Times Of Swaziland: UNCERTAINTY OVER PUBLIC TRANSPORT TODAY

UNCERTAINTY OVER PUBLIC TRANSPORT TODAY
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Stanley Khumalo on 29/06/2022 09:06:00


MANZINI – There is a stalemate regarding operations of public transport today.
The confusion originates from the fact that public transport workers have vowed
that they would not be working today. They said it was for their safety and the
protection of their vehicles that they used to earn a living. Swaziland
Transport Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU) Secretary General
Sticks Nkambule said his organisation would be seeking responses to the petition
that was delivered to the Manzini Police Regional Headquarters (RHQ) on May 17,
2022. Nkambule said they had noted that the law enforcers had not bothered to
respond and explain their conduct. Therefore, he said, they would return to the
Manzini Police RHQ today, for responses.
Permission
He said they did not apply for permission to march to the Manzini Police RHQ as
expected when an entity sought to march and sensitise the public about its
demands. He was asked if SWATCAWU had been given a permit to march to the police
RHQ and Nkambule said: “We didn’t apply for one. We don’t need it.” It
is worth noting that, on the day they delivered the petition, the Municipal
Council of Manzini had not granted them a permit as representatives of the
National Commissioner (NATCOM) of police, William Dlamini, had raised concerns
over national security. Instead, the organisation was permitted to have selected
members deliver the petition without marching in the city.
Meanwhile, Nkambule was sought for clarity on how their members intended to
render their services to commuters today. He was asked if operations would be
normal at the Manzini Bus Rank and he said: “No! It’s not normal
operations.” Nkambule said their members would not be working today. This was
the same position taken by the Eswatini Kombis and Buses Allied Workers Union
(EKABAWU). President of EKABAWU Mxolisi Fakudze said they had resolved not to
engage in their duties today. He said this decision stemmed from the fact that a
number of entities would be commemorating the demise of their members who died
during the political unrest on this day, a year ago. He said: “For our safety,
the public and the vehicles we use to earn a living, we shall not be working.”
Fakudze said they would not be partaking in any activity per se, but were not
keen to add to the statistics of what happened last year. When asked if they had
engaged the proprietors of the public service business, Fakudze said their
efforts to get an audience with them fell through.
Decision
He said the decision to park the vehicles was taken in a meeting they had with
bus rank marshalls and conductors. Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Road
Transport Council (NRTC) Magesi Dlamini said they held a meeting last week
wherein it was resolved that public transport should operate as usual. He said
the meeting emanated from the fact that there was a great concern on what would
happen on June 29, 2022 (today) as public transport workers were to collect
responses from the police on their petition. Dlamini said: “Public transport
is an essential service and when it is not availed, people could die.”
He said it was on this basis that all regions had agreed that there should be no
disturbances. Supporting Dlamini’s assertions was the National Chairperson of
the Swaziland Local Transport Association (SLTA), Ambrose Dlamini. Ambrose said,
as far as they were concerned, operations would be normal. He said the public
transport operators were oblivious to the planned activity of seeking petition
responses. Also, Chairperson of the Swaziland Buses Association Duma Msibi said
they were not aware of the decision, as there had been no meeting where the
operators agreed to it.
Comment
Instead, Msibi said it was hard to comment on such issues as tempers were high
in various sectors of society. To this, Chief Police Information and
Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said they were not aware
of the proposed plan to seek the responses. On the other hand, the SWATCAWU
secretary general, when delivering the petition last month, said there was no
national security concern when workers protested for their rights.