UNCERTAINTY OVER PUBLIC TRANSPORT TODAY

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.

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