3-DAY MARCH: CIVIL SERVANTS FACE NO-WORK, NO-PAY, DC

MBABANE - Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko has made it clear that government will apply the no-work, no-pay rule and further take disciplinary action against civil servants who will participate in the march slated for later this week.  

The minister was speaking on national radio yesterday morning. Maseko said in as much as workers had a right to voice out their grievances, they should consider sticking to the confines of the law. The minister stated that workers who would participate in an unlawful march risked being marked absent from work. He said the ministry would take disciplinary action against absent employees.

Disciplinary

Maseko stated that part of the disciplinary measures included the no-work, no-pay rule and disciplinary hearing which might result in some losing their jobs if found guilty. Asked during an interview if the ministry had a monitoring tool in place, Maseko stated that each ministry had human resources managers and under secretaries to monitor the attendance lists of employees.

He said those lists would be used to ascertain those who decided to absent themselves from work. At the time, the minister had heard that TUCOSWA would engage in a three-day march, meaning civil servants might be absent from work for three days. The minister stated that he had an open door policy where civil servants were expected to discuss their issues as opposed to marches. Maseko also warned health workers who were reportedly neglecting patients in hospitals. He stated that health workers had no right to neglected patients in hospitals. In vernacular, he said; “Nalo lilahle emhlane kulabo labagodla emandla emsebentini’, meaning those who neglect patients will suffer the consequences.

Intimidation

Responding to the minister, Acting TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina said workers were used to intimidation. “Let us warn those who think they can stand on the rights of workers individually. Once workers are provoked, they will retaliate,” he said. He added that the union had appealed to government to cooperate during the one day march. When asked if TUCOSWA had money to compensate the workers should government decide to invoke the no-work no-pay rule, Gina did not give a direct response. Instead, he asked this reporter if he was aware that some employers could fire their employees without a reason. He then stated that the union would have to defend the unfair labour practice.  

Gina had been asked how they intended to march in the country’s major towns following the ban of granting of permits by municipalities. The ban was announced by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane in a press conference last week. This was after the National Commissioner of Police William Tsitsibala Dlamini had stopped a march which was proposed by publi sector associations (PSAs). Prince Simelane announced the ban after the Municipal Council of Mbabane had granted the permission.

Worth noting was that the minister’s decision attracted criticisms from several sectors of society, including some Members of Parliament. Gina said following the decision by Prince Simelane, TUCOSWA had decided to write a letter to him. “We have decided to write to the minister personally because he banned the municipalities from issuing the permits. What should be noted is that we were not obliged to write to him. We believe he will call us if he sees a need, otherwise we will deliver our petitions in the entire major towns on Thursday,” Gina said. The major towns are Mbabane Manzini, Nhlangano, Siteki, Pigg’s Peak, Hluti, according to Gina.

He mentioned that the union would deliver petitions to the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology and that of Housing and Urban Development. Gina said they would also foster the proposed dialogue as the frustration of workers could be dealt with through the dialogue.

Intention

He stated that the Public Order Act was clear that the people should notify the municipality about their intention to march in towns. He emphasised that the Public Order Act did not speak about seeking the permission but spoke about notifying the municipality about the intention to march. “The Public Order Act is clear that the municipality can meet us if it sees a need to discuss certain issues ahead of the march. If the municipality sees no need for a discussion, it can grant the permit without even meeting us. There is nowhere that the Public Order Act speaks about the minister,” he said. However, the minister could not be reached for a comment as his cellphone rang unanswered. He was called to confirm if he had really received the letter from TUCOSWA.

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