COPS MEETING OVER PHASE II: POLICE BLAST PM

MANZINI – Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini has received strong criticism from police officers affiliated to the Royal Eswatini Police Service Staff Association (REPOSA).

At their meeting yesterday, the officers said the PM was misinformed about the issue of the Phase II salary review structure. In particular, they said improving the welfare of senior officers and leaving out the junior ones has the potential of being a threat to national security. They held the meeting at the Swaziland National Teachers Association (SNAT) Centre in Manzini, with officers numbering between 20 and 30 in attendance. Others who attended the meeting were officers from His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS).

One of the officers accused the PM of using the plight of junior officers to get back at Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament (MP) Marwick Khumalo. The officer submitted that the actions of the PM were unfortunate in that during a sitting in Parliament, he warned MPs not to use the issue to incite the nation. The officer said the statement by the PM triggered reaction from the Lobamba Lomdzala MP, who stood up and asked to know who the PM is to dictate how MPs should make submissions.“The truth of the matter is that Phase II has divided Cabinet and Parliament. That is why the PM called the police association to Cabinet. He was actually reacting to the submission that Marwick made. He was literally telling Marwick who he is and the sad part is that he has used us,” the officer submitted.

Still on the PM, some of the officers made a submission to the effect that the Secretary General of the police association, Constable Dumsile Khumalo, should write a letter and request for an audience with him so that they could enlighten him on the many circulars that have been crafted ever since the issue of salary review for State security officers came to the fore.
“It is clear that the PM does not have the circular and we need to assist him. He has said that officers in lower ranks received their Phase II of the salary review in 2008. He might not be aware that the matter was there even before that. Let us engage him,” the officer said. Meanwhile, other officers raised fears that their matter might not see the light of day in Cabinet since the ministers in office are also divided.

Using force

The officers said some ministers were fond of using force while others were calm, knowing how to handle issues. It should be noted that our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini, reported that the Phase II debate has taken a new twist, as government has said that the salary review consultant will address the matter in totality. This after a meeting was held between Cabinet, led by the premier and the relevant stakeholders. Interestingly, this happened a few days after Parliament had rejected a report tabled by the Minister of Public Service, Mabulala Maseko, and ordered that he should go and work on the issue of Phase II.

It was gathered that during the talks at Cabinet, the junior officers were allegedly told that government was of the belief that the officers who were in lower ranks received their Phase II of the salary restructuring exercise in 2008. It was reported that the PM also told them that government also felt the only officers who are supposed to benefit from Phase II are now those who hold the ranks of inspector and superintendent. Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo was quoted saying that the prime minister has now familiarised himself with the intricacies behind the junior officers’ salary issue and is now ready to address it.

Yesterday, this publication sought a comment from Nxumalo regarding the criticism levelled against the premier by the officers who attended the meeting. Out of a mere salary issue that is being duly addressed by the government through a consultant, Nxumalo said it was puzzling to hear officers complaining about interference with national security. He said the PM is not and has not been misinformed on the situation of the junior officers. “Besides, if they harbour that kind of feeling or observation, they still have an opportunity to seek audience with His Excellency the Honourable Prime Minister to clarify and explain their respective circumstances and situations,” said Nxumalo.

He added: “The security forces in this country; like in any other country, are the first line of defence of the national Constitution and their oath of office. It is not understood yet as to what can agitate them to the point of thinking that their salary negotiations processes with the Ministry of Public service can climax to a national security issue if there is an impasse. They must explain themselves further on this particular question.” It should be noted that yesterday’s meeting was aimed discussing a way forward, following that there is now a new twist in the controversial issue.

Insisted

For some time, government has insisted that the issue was being looked into, but changed tune a few weeks ago saying that the junior officers actually received their Phase II in 2008.
During the meeting, the attending officers first made it known that their association is not a political party. Most of the officers asked the media to state clearly in their reporting that they are not members of any political party. Instead, they said they only wanted their welfare to be addressed since they were swimming in debt.As they engaged, the officers would now and again respond to questions posed by Interim Chairperson Zakhele Masuku, who led the deliberations. In the middle of the meeting, Masuku asked the officers to share their thoughts on what will happen if they are to wake up on Monday to discover that the salary review had made them worse off and on the contrary improved the welfare of the seniors.

“What if our superiors are granted a salary review backdated to 2014 and we are left out?” he asked. “What will we do? Do we have a strategy in place? Will we rush to court to obtain an interim to stop the salary review? These are questions that we should ask ourselves,” he said. After he had posed this question, one of the officers spoke in a low tone saying they have heard that some senior officers are already bragging that only the top brass will enjoy the cake. He said in vernacular the senior officers said: “Sitodla basibuka”. In attempt to respond to the question, some of the attendees openly said they do not know what will happen, but that they hope they will get their Phase II.

One of them said they will apply the popular ‘work to rule’ strategy, which is a job action, in which employees do no more than the minimum required by the rules of their contract or job, and strictly follow time-consuming rules normally not enforced. One of the officers, however, openly stated in vernacular that if that happens, there will be serious trouble in the country.
He warned that their superiors should not take them lightly as they will see wonders. The officer described himself as a spiritual man and said he can already foresee the trouble. As they made suggestions on a way forward, some of them submitted that now that they are receiving assistance from Parliament, perhaps they should also approach the courts.

No direction

One of the officers submitted that they have tried different avenues, but seemingly there is no direction in the matter. The officer said perhaps the court route would be ideal in that courts deal with evidence that is provided, “The good thing is that we have all the circulars which we can present as evidence in court. The obvious thing right now is that our superiors do not want to listen to us. They accuse us of being members of PUDEMO, something which we are not. It has been 15 years since I have been a police officer and I have nothing to show for it,” submitted the officer. With the accusation of being progressive, some of the executive members shared clarity and reminded the officers that the association was established through a provision contained in the Police Service Act, 2018, which means that it is in accordance with the Constitution of 2005.

Another officer said there is too much corruption in the country such that it is hard to even have confidence in the Judiciary. The officer said some of their superiors got promotions because they paid bribes, while others ensured that their children were hired in the police service even when they did not have the required qualifications. As the debate on the way forward continued, some of the officers explained that they are currently satisfied with the way parliamentarians have handled the issue.

Positives

They said they were of the belief that if the MPs can be given time, there is a lot of positives that can come out. Others said they believe that Parliament is the only hope due that court cases drag on for too long in the country, which could see some of them die even before they can enjoy the Phase II they are fighting for. On another note, the officers decried that there is still no Police Service Commission in the country yet it is the one that will be able to independently handle their issues, especially those against their superiors. They alleged that they were of the view that the police top brass is against the establishment of the commission because they fear that it will deprive them of their powers.

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