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Pay 24.5 % or face the law, kombi owners told

21/08/2013 02:20:00 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI

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MBABANE – Public transport operators are expected to effect the 24.5 per cent salary increment for bus conductors and drivers or face prosecution this month.

This was the stance taken by the Labour Commissioner Khabo Dlamini yesterday.
Speaking during a radio interview yesterday morning, Dlamini said they expected public transport operators to comply with the law or else they would be taken to court.

Dlamini said the Swaziland Commercial Amadoda Road Transport Council (SCARTCO) had been present at all nine meetings which were held during the build-up to the gazette which came into effect at the beginning of August.

“We expect that the salaries will be paid as per the gazette and we will soon be sending out our inspectors to ensure that the transport owners pay their employees what is due to them according to the law,” said Dlamini. She said should they find employers who do not abide by the law they would first inform them in writing failing which they would then seek legal action against those who do not comply.

Dlamini said she was well aware that the members of SCARTCO had concerns about the implementation of the new wages, particularly as they had time and again expressed that public transport fares had not been increased since 2010 or earlier.

“The Ministry of Labour and Social Security concerns itself with issues of wages and staff welfare and we do not have the power to help the transport owners get the increment which they so desire, but we tried all possible means to ensure that our minister met with his counterpart at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport,” said Dlamini.

She said they expected members of SCARTCO to adhere to the new regulations in particular because they consented to the gazette.

... bus owners to rope in legal minds

MBABANE – The Swaziland Commercial Amadoda Road Transportation Council (SCARTCO) has said some of its members may fail to meet the 24.5 per cent wage increment for bus conductors and drivers.

Speaking on national radio yesterday morning during the programme Letishisako, SCARTCO Secretary General Duma Msibi said they were not against paying their employees the stipulated wage, but feared that they had no means to cover these new costs because bus fares had not been increased for almost four years.

Msibi said they had hoped to meet the Minister of Labour and Social Security Lutfo Dlamini, who had also promised them a meeting with the Minister of Public Works and Transport but Lutfo allegedly cancelled the meeting at the last minute stating that he had to attend the E50 million Capacity Building Fund case.

“We were further promised that the bus fare matter would be discussed at length at the Cabinet retreat which was recently held at Pigg’s Peak Hotel, but we were not assisted,” said Msibi.

Lawyers

He said they were hoping to meet with lawyers who would advise them on the matter today, because as much as they had consented to the 24.5 per cent wage increment, the main question remained pertaining to covering costs.
The increase in bus fares is not expected to take place any time soon as such regulations need to be first tabled and approved by Parliament. On another note Msibi said the Thikithela system was still going on well as his office had not received any complaints about it.

“It is only normal that when a new system is introduced not everyone easily welcomes it, but I have not heard any negative reports save for a few teething problems,” said Msibi.