Times Of Swaziland: JUNIOR COPS, WARDERS TO FACE MUSIC OVER MARCH

JUNIOR COPS, WARDERS TO FACE MUSIC OVER MARCH
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Sithembile Hlatshwayo on 12/10/2022 09:01:00


MBABANE – Junior officers from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and
His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) who took part in the march to
deliver petitions to the Cabinet Offices could be in trouble.
This follows a statement issued by the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police
William Tsitsibala Dlamini and Commissioner General (COMGEN) Phindile Dlamini.
In the statement, the NATCOM stated that the police service would ensure that
those who were part of the march account for their actions by evoking the
relevant organisational disciplinary regime and codes. He said the embarrassing
conduct by the officers who were marching yesterday was a deviation that would
not be tolerated. He noted that the actions of the few individuals had no
reflection to the vast majority of their members who remained loyal, disciplined
and true to their oath of office.
Ill-discipline
The NATCOM said as a police service, they bore witness to the shocking act of
ill-discipline and defiance when a group of police and Correctional officers
marched to deliver a petition to the Cabinet Offices on the now much-publicised
matter of Phase II of the salary restructuring exercise. According to the
NATCOM, this unfortunate act was despite the fact that the Minister of Public
Service had held several meetings with the Police Staff Association (PSAs) and
leadership on the matter. He said last Friday, he had issued a statement
outlining progress and how the issue would be addressed going forward. “As a
police service, we would like to state that such behaviour goes against the set
standards of acceptable code of conduct for its members,” said the NATCOM. He
condemned such an act in the strongest terms possible, adding that it undercut
the integrity of the REPS and set a bad example.
Furthermore, he stated that the police service believed in discipline, respect
and following proper structures and channels when dealing with issues pertaining
to the welfare of its members. As such, he stated that he would be visiting the
different policing regions to engage officers on issues affecting their
conditions of service. Meanwhile, the COMGEN of HMCS, in her statement, stated
that action would be taken against those who had violated their work ethics and
oath of office. She stated that her office on Monday, through officers in
charge, conveyed a message from the Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko,
assuring officers through their staff associations of the commitment made by
government to address the matter as a consultant had been engaged. The COMGEN
assured the staff across all ranks that concerns affecting their work would
always be given priority and that should there be any glitches, they should
always engage the known and relevant structures to address those challenges as
her office had an open door policy.
Condemned
She condemned in the strongest terms the behaviour of the officers, especially
because HMCS was guided by a set of legislation and general orders, which
distinctly relayed their operational procedures, both with internal and external
structures. Meanwhile, the junior officers from REPS and HMCS rewrote history
when they marched to deliver petitions to the Cabinet Offices. The officers
gathered next to the Mbabane Government Hospital and marched without being
escorted to the Cabinet Offices to deliver the petitions. They were clad in full
uniform while others wore black as a sign of mourning and marched to the Cabinet
Offices led by members of the staff associations. The petitions were directed to
the Prime Minister, Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, who is the Minister of Police, the
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the
Ministry of Public Service. Acting Principal Secretary (PS) at the Cabinet
Offices Nhlanhla Mnisi received the petitions. Mnisi received the petitions on
behalf of all the ministries they were directed to. Reading the petition before
handing it over, Police Staff Association (PSA) Secretary General (SG) Sergeant
Dumisile Khumalo noted that Circular No.2 of 2014 was in two phases but only
phase was implemented. Khumalo said phase two was to be implemented
subsequently.
Implementation
She stated that it was now the eighth year without the implementation of phase
two. “We are hungry and can no longer work and have come to make an appeal to
our father, who is the Minister of Police, the Prime Minister, Cleopas
Dlamini.” Khumalo noted that they were also appealing to the minister of
Justice and Constitutional Affairs who was responsible for Correctional
Services. Also, she mentioned that there was the minister of Public Service and
the minister of Finance. In the petitions, she stated that they had tried to
address the minister of Public Service in writing, where they successfully
pleaded their case and hoped he would assist them. Khumalo said they were given
hope by the minister, who told them that they would fix things where they went
wrong.
The SG stated that they went as far as submitting the circulars, but were
disappointed to learn from the police boss, who told them there would be no
phase two. Khumalo noted that the police boss acknowledged that phase one was
implemented from NATCOM, COMGEN up until the senior superintendents. However,
she said they were told that when phase two was to be implemented, it was
revoked following that there would be a review in 2016.
Restructuring
According to Khumalo, restructuring and review were different issues. She said
there was ululations in their 2014 police parade when they were told by the King
that they would be salaried parallel with the SADC region. This, she said was
because they thought His Majesty’s utterances were law. Khumalo said it was
for the above reason that they showed respect when coming to deliver the
petition. She said they followed all structures, including addressing their
superiors but they realised that there was no truth, hence their decision to
appeal to Cabinet.
Khumalo said junior officers were killed tragically but had not complained and
continued to work diligently without quitting. Meanwhile, she said while the
circular was revoked, others were benefitting, which was very painful and
hurting to them. Khumalo mentioned that when they addressed the matter with the
minister of Public Service, where the circulars were issued they revisited them
and found out that constables were awarded only five per cent, while other
superior ranks received over 20 per cent and up to 30 per cent. This, she said,
was in 2005, while in 2007 they were rewarded with only E1 000.