IT’S UNFAIR – TUCOSWA

MBABANE – “Civil servants cannot be penalised or discriminated against on the basis of their political affiliation.”

This was said by TUCOSWA Secretary General (SG) Mduduzi Gina, following the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Simanga Mamba’s comments that they would deal with government employees who are pushing a political agenda. TUCOSWA is an acronym for Trade Union Congress of Swaziland.

Unfair

Gina said this was unfair and could result in serious unfair labour practices on the part of government, to penalise workers merely on the basis of their political affiliation. According to Gina, by nature, civil servants worked for the political system. The SG wondered why civil servants were to be disciplined just because they believed in a different administration of the State. He made an example of teachers, saying they taught learners about the country’s political system. He said these teachers even went beyond the call of duty to promote the system.
Gina said government needed to respect the fact that the issue of freedom of association was a fundamental right that was enshrined in the Bill of Rights, which is in the Constitution.
The SG said the Bill of Rights had not excluded anyone from exercising that right.

Gina said he disagreed with the fact that workers could be punished on the basis of their political alliance and not work performance, as such would be against the Constitution. Such, he said would be against a number of conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), specifically Convention 87. According to the convention, parties to the convention are obliged to ensure the right of both employers and employees to join an organisation of their choice and free from any influence of authorities, which belongs to the core principles.

Discriminated

“Workers cannot be discriminated in any manner whatsoever on the basis of their political affiliation,” Gina said. The SG said workers could only be judged on the basis of their failure to perform, irrespective of whatever reason. Meanwhile, Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) SG, Lot Vilakati, said for now, their name had not been singled out, hence they would not delve much into the issue. Vilakati said should the CSC chair mention the name ‘teacher’, they would get closer to him. He said CSC and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) were recruiting agents of the Ministry of Public Service. Vilakati said the ministry was the employer and not the recruiting agent, hence they could never be above the former. “It is the ministry that can address us and not the recruiting agents.”

Vilakati said civil servants could not divorce politics as it was part of them, adding that once employed, they dealt with trade union politics. He said Mamba should explain the politics he was talking about. “Last year, they were encouraging people to participate in politics of the country.” Vilakati said they would only comment on trade union politics and not any other.   

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