CONCERNED PARENTS, POLITICAL PARTIES: REOPEN UNESWA NOW ...

MANZINI- “We want the university to reopen immediately.”

As the strike by academic and non-academic employees of UNESWA continues, some students of the university, parents and political parties came together to demand for the immediate reopening of the university. The stakeholders convened outside the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Kwaluseni Campus, to demand that the university should quicken the process of resolving the employees’ grievances, to ensure that students returned to class.

Worth noting is that today marks day 17 since the academic staff, who are members of the Association of Lecturers, Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP) engaged in a strike, while it is the fourth day since non-academic staff (NAWUSHI) also went on strike. The university was closed last week following the strike over award performances (notching).

Demonstrated

Meanwhile, during the meeting yesterday, the concerned students, parents and some political party members convened outside the institution, where they demonstrated, while singing political songs and dancing. Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) President Sakhile Aw’viva Nxumalo was of the view that education in the kingdom was not taken seriously. Nxumalo said it was high time that the university reopened as students were suffering.
“As SWAYOCO and PUDEMO, we have an interest in the struggle for workers and that is why we are here today to say we will not watch as the university’s employees are suffering,” he said.

The SWAYOCO president said it was only befitting for employees to be given their dues. He said they demanded the university to resolve the issues and reopen. He mentioned that the staff of the university was well within their right to engage in the strike. Meanwhile, addressing the stakeholders of the university, ALAAP President Sibusiso Nhlabatsi stated that it was difficult for employees of the university to engage in a strike action.

Negotiation

Nhlabatsi mentioned that there was a joint negotiation team (JNT) and recognition agreement, which provided that all issues were to be discussed at the JNT. “We have engaged management on the issue since 2022 but it has not been fruitful. “That is why we ended up downing tools. We understand that you are affected as some of you are doing your final years, we truly understand your plight. “But please also understand that this is a labour issue. Classes will not resume until our demands are met,” Nhlabatsi quipped. He further expressed that it was a pity that when two elephants fought, the grass suffered. The ALAAP president said in this case, it was the students who were suffering.

NAWUSHI President Sikelela Ngwenya said their strike was a way to fix the issues of the university for the students as well, as they were also future employees of the university. “The issue of notching has been a thorny one since 2018, and we have been saying that the university should honour the agreements it has made,” he said. UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

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