OVER 200 COPS ATTEND NATCOM’S SPECIAL BRIEFING MEETING

MANZINI – Over 200 police officers flooded the Matsapha Police Academy for a meeting with the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, William Tsitsibala Dlamini.

The police officers, who packed the auditorium within the institution’s Faculty of Management, were from all police bases countrywide. There are about 23 police stations, 22 police posts and 12 border posts, as well as one airport security monitoring post. These police posts and police stations are subordinated to the four regional headquarters and there is also a support unit and a police college subordinated to the executive command. The special briefing meeting by the NATCOM was a ‘vusela’ and meant to encourage  police officers to work selflessly while also reminding them of their oath, which is to protect and serve the nation, serve the authorities of the land and ensure peace and safety in the country. It was also to remind police officers to ensure that they respected human rights as they went about their duties. It was also emphasised that police officers should work hand-in-hand with the public as they had information regarding criminal investigation, because deviants resided within their communities.

Misunderstandings

During the meeting, Dlamini was said to have reminded police officers that even if there were misunderstandings within the organisation, these quarrels should not let the law enforcers deviate from their oath of service. The NATCOM reportedly informed the over 200 police officers that they were not like other civil servants who enjoyed the right to engage in industrial action. It was gathered that he said police officers did not engage in strikes or go-slows. Dlamini was said to have emphasised that whatever the law enforcers, were seeking should be sought through respect despite the responses that were being offered. In saying this, it was gathered that the NATCOM emphasised that it would also assist the police to gain public sympathy as it would be seen that in their endeavour, they were respectful and patient. The issue, which has brought an impasse between junior police officers and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) management – Phase II of the salary restructuring exercise, was also part of the agenda. Dlamini reportedly reminded the law enforcers that the issue of the restructuring exercise began in 2005 and was partially implemented in 2014. It was gathered that he emphasised that there was no malice in the implementation of the exercise. “He said this was an old issue and no officer wanted to suppress another and if it came across like that, police officers should have these discussions internally,” a source said.

Grievances

The sources said Dlamini emphasised that even if the law enforcers had grievances, they should not be seen protesting and petitioning; but should deal with the issues in the designated structures. The NATCOM reportedly emphasised that there were policies within the REPS which guided how police officers should behave and it should not come to a point that it had to be waived. “He said police officers should not be breaking the law and marching in town without a permit to do so. His concern was that who would listen to the police officers if they were the ones breaking the law,” a source said.

According to the sources, it was gathered that the NATCOM emphasised that giant leaps had been taken in the Phase II salary restructuring exercise as the Minister of Public Service, Mabulala Maseko, had addressed them in various instances. The sources said the meeting also addressed the issue of some officers who were seemingly deviating from the expected behaviour within the REPS. It was said he emphasised that police officers should be putting an extra effort in uprooting crime as armed robberies, murder, rape and cases of narcotics were rife. “He said police officers should be concentrating on the crimes and let the relevant authorities deal with their issues,” the source said.

One of the resolutions of the meeting was that after the NATCOM had visited all regions, the associations looking into the welfare of the police would take the decisions to government.
The NATCOM confirmed that he had a meeting with police officers from the regions. He said it was not the first instance and a statement had already been issued relaying that he would be visiting all policing regions to deal with issues affecting them. Dlamini said this meeting was something that had been done before and the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, had issued a statement on the issue. Vilakati, when asked about the meeting in detail, said: “It was an internal meeting.”

Meeting

Meanwhile, when this publication’s reporters arrived at Matsapha Police Academy, the auditorium in which the police officers were meeting was filled to capacity, with a significant number of them standing. Leading to the meeting, the NATCOM, in a 204 words letter, requested the acting regional commissioner Police Academy to prepare a suitable venue with a sitting capacity of not less than 170 police officers. He had also listed the designations of the police officers he expected to attend the meeting. Dlamini said: “Attending this important meeting shall be as follows: All regional commissioners, all station commanders, all members of the national executive committee (NEC) of the Police Staff Association, five police officers per regional headquarters drawn from all the ranks categories available, five officers from each police station drawn from all ranks available and five officers from all Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) bases drawn from all the ranks.”

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