TASK TEAM TO PROBE WORKERS’ RIGHTS VIOLATION CLAIMS

MBABANE – Government has assembled a high-powered task team to investigate the alleged violation of workers’ rights, as concluded by the recent International Labour Conference.

The task team will conduct its functions backed by the Commissions of Enquiry Act. This year was the 16th time Eswatini came under discussion for allegedly violating the same International labour organisation (ILO) convention. The conclusions of the conference dealt with a number of alleged workers rights violations, such as the alleged harassment in the education sector involving the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Mbongwa Dlamini, and the teargassing of workers in a bus. They also included the brutal murder of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, who represented workers on legal issues and alleged physical attacks of trade unionists such as Sticks Nkambule, General Secretary of the Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU), who fled the country.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi announced a 14-member committee comprising of government office bearers. It will be chaired by Principal Secretary in his ministry, Makhosini Mndawe, while members include Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Lomvula Hlophe, Assistant Attorney General Mndeni Vilakati, Principal Secretary of the Ministry Housing and Urban Development Dr Simon Zwane and others. The minister said the task team had been empowered by Cabinet, among other things, to verify the allegations that were made during the discussion of the country in Geneva, by summoning and examining witnesses under oath. It will also demand disclosure of information, documentation, and book, including conducting site inspections, in terms of Section 11 of the Commissions of Enquiry Act.

It will also co-opt any relevant government ministry, department or institution, including inviting officials from the ILO, as may be necessitated by the need to validate and/or obtain clarities in the implementation of the ILO conclusions, comments or recommendations. The team will also consult with social partners and other relevant stakeholders. The minister said government had exerted enormous effort to enhance relations with the social partners, including attendance to various workers’ events, such as May Day. “Government was taken aback by the discussion of the country during the recent International Labour Conference, wherein the country was accused of violating ILO Convention 87. “This discussion was viewed by government to have been premature and constitute a major setback to the concerted efforts of reaching out to join hands with the labour movement to promote the spirit of tripartism and social dialogue on worker-related issues,” he said.

Buthelezi said government committed itself to addressing the conclusions of the Conference. “As a result, Cabinet has deemed it proper to appoint a Government Technical Task Team to consider with a view to address, the conclusions that were adopted by the Conference in June.  During the 112th session of the annual International Labour Conference, government was among the list of 24 countries, which were discussed by the Conference Committee on Application of Standards (CAS), wherein the government was requested to provide information regarding the implementation of Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948), ratified by Eswatini on April 26, 1978.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: