FROM THE SHOPFLOOR: A workers' perspective on the winds of democratic change currently blowing in Swaziland/Eswatini.

 

FROM THE SHOPFLOOR - OPINION

The winds of democratic change and workers in Eswatini

By Mduduzi Gina 

TUCOSWA ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL

Picture: Mduduzi Gina

The 19^th of June 2021 has turned out to be a historic day in Eswatini as youths in 15 constituencies around the country gathered in their Tinkhundla Centres to deliver petitions of demands to their Members of Parliament (MPs) and their Inkhundla teams. This represented a culmination of a momentum that has been building over time, fueled in part by MPs such as Bacede Mabuza (Hosea Inkhundla) ,Mduduzi Simelane (Siphofaneni Inkhundla) and Mthandeni Dube (Ngwempisi Inkhundla) and a youth protest movement that has emerged to fight against police brutality.

Workers and TUCOSWA ,in particular, may be excused for feeling vindicated during this time because the calls for change have long been associated with TUOSWA and other progressive political parties and civil society organisations, and for a good reason. For those who care to remember the TUCOSWA inaugural 2012 congress declaration not to take part in the 2013 elections elicited its banning by the government and for almost two years all worker activities related to TUCOSWA were violently dispersed by the state. TUCOSWA representation in tripartite forums was also targeted during this period to the point that the government cobbled together senior employees in friendly corporations such as Montigny to start a rival workers’ federation to TUCOSWA. That federation was called the Federation of Swaziland Trade Unions (FESWATU) and to this day FESWATU still serves as a stark reminder that workers need to be vigilant about organisations that are created by the elite to serve other political and economic interests.

Back to the wave of protests, TUCOSWA has also noted that the protests demands are similar to those championed by TUCOSWA for a quite some time now. For instance, the demand for minimum wage of E3,500.00 has been a key demand from TUCOSWA for quite some time after TUCOSWA based its calculations of E3,500.00 on the calculation of a food basket of basic family needs comprising of two adults and two children. Items in the food basket included shelter, food, utilities, school, clothes and transport. In total if there are two adults in the household earning minimum wage there could be a total of E7000.00 per month in that household. The reality on the ground, however, is such that there are many households that are single parent headed, particularly by women. There is also the reality that on average each salary in Eswatini takes care of up to six people in the country. That makes the E3,500.00 minimum wage itself insufficient, particularly given the price shifts brought by COVID-19. On the whole though TUCOSWA views the E3,500.00 minimum wage as a good foundation from which to build a labour market with fair income distribution mechanism. The road ahead is long.

TUCOSWA has also been pointing out that job opportunities for young people were shrinking by the day in the country. This is particularly so at the skilled and professional levels. When juxtaposed with the routine low skill jobs however it has been noted that in this sector jobs are still being created particularly in the service industry that include security and cleaning services. The crises is further exacerbated by the fact that there are no new industries looking at settling in Eswatini primarily because the absolute rule does not guarantee complete protection of the investments. The experience of the Jozini, Sicunusa quarry and  Salgaocar investors serves as a constant reminder of how absolute rule manifests itself in depriving investors a fair chance to realise their investments desires.

The distribution of wealth particularly state funds has for a long time been skewed to servicing the monarchy rather than the citizens. Currently examples include the funds allocated to the International Conference Centre Ezulwini and royal emoluments amounting to billions every year while social expenditure on education and to elderly have remained steady for a long time. Money for Free Primary Education (FPE) has not been adjusted since the start of the programme over 12 years ago. It has become absolutely clear that the power of the monarchy especially given its propensity to partake in the business world is one of the major causes of the lack of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country.

TUCOSWA's campaign for socio political changes is nothing new to workers movement in the country. A glance back to the early 1960s reveals that  workers in the country have always been decisive agents of change. In the 60’s the struggles for better wages intertwined with calls for the end to colonialism, then in the 80s and 90s workers struggles intertwined with ushering in constitutionality in the country after the 1973 decree had collapsed constitutionalism replacing it with the rule of decrees from the King. The latest wave currently engulfing the country has zeroed in bringing an end to absolute power located with one person, the king. This concentration of power has made our country one of the most unequal countries in the world with the King and those close to him living lives the ordinary government employee and factory workers can only dream about, at times some earning multiple salaries from the same national fiscus.

Workers through their federation TUCOSWA continue to pin their hopes on the fact that a new democratic dispensation with no absolute rule shall usher in a better economic order with workers and human rights being core values of the society.

©SLI