Times Of Swaziland: SNAT CAN’T BE SEPARATED FROM POLITICS – MBONGWA

SNAT CAN’T BE SEPARATED FROM POLITICS – MBONGWA
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Themba Zwane on 12/09/2023 08:56:00


PIGG’S PEAK – SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini is of the view that it is
impossible to separate the union from politics.
Responding to allegations that the union was deviating from its mandate, Dlamini
said SNAT operated within the confines of the law. “When laws related to
education are made, SNAT is invited to make submissions in Parliament,” he
said. Dlamini made an example of the Examinations Council Bill and the
Employment Bill, saying SNAT must have an input in such Bills before they are
enacted. He said the process of law-making, in its nature, was a political
activity. “Are these members then implying that we should not take part in
these political activities?” he asked rhetorically.
He added that the problem was that most emaSwati thought politics had to do with
power struggle, which was a wrong notion. He said they only engaged on issues
that had to do with SNAT members’ well-being. “There is no way we can
divorce politics from SNAT because all that affects teachers’ welfare is as a
result of a political decision. When you deal with government, which is a
political structure, only political issues will be discussed. Teachers’ salary
adjustment is a political issue as it is handled by a political structure.
Politics is life,” he said. On his dismissal issue, the president asked not to
respond, but said they welcomed the opinion of members who felt his dismissal
was justified.  He said they must explain their position and convince members
during their mass meeting on Friday so they could decide on what they wanted.