VICTORY FOR NGWENYA BORDER GATE EMPLOYEES

MBABANE - Its victory for Immigration officers based at Ngwenya Border Gate.

This after government on Thursday finally agreed to pay them overtime for working during the Easter holidays.
Government further agreed to halt the 24-hour shift system pending finalisation and implementation of the negotiations between the parties (immigration officers and government).
The undertaking by government was made an order of the court by Industrial Court Judge Nkosinathi Nkonyane. 
 It was further ordered that government should pay the overtime to the immigration officers as a matter of law.

The sudden change of mind by government comes after the 36 immigration officers stationed at Ngwenya Border Gate filed an urgent application in the Industrial Court.
Through their attorney Ma­chawe Sithole, the employees were seeking among other things an order interdicting government from implementing the extension of operational hours of the Easter Holidays at Ngwenya/Oshoek Border Gate.

implementation

They were further wanted the court to direct Principal Secretaries of the ministries of Home Affairs and that of Public Service to engage them on the implementation of the extension of  operations hours for Ngwenya Border Gate with a view to consider their terms of service which include among other things payment of overtime or hardship allowance to them.
Their lawyer argued that the nature of the application filed by the employees needed an urgent intervention of the court since it dealt with grave injustice and unfair labour practice in which the immigration officers were subjected to at the hands of the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Lawyer Sithole further informed the court that the PS came up with a timetable and aborted negotiations with the officers and their union.  He contended that this was a clear indication that the negotiations had reached a deadlock.
In his founding affidavit, one of the aggrieved employees Sanele Magagula stated that the application was premised upon the issue of operating hours at the Ngwenya/Oshoek Border Gate.  Magagula is also a Shop steward of the Ngwenya Border Gate Staff.
“In simpler terms, it means that the staff will be expected to work extended hours for the Easter Weekend. The extension of operating hours shall extend even after the Easter Weekend has passed as per a memorandum by the first respondent ( PS, Ministry of Home Affairs) to the National Commissioner of Police dated March 27,2017,” submitted Magagula.

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