Eswatini Labour Insight

  Tambankulu Estates Logo (sourced online) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze  Swaziland Agriculture, Plantations and Allied Workers Union (SAPAWU)  members and workers at the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) owned Tambankulu (Tabankulu) Estates are involved in a wage dispute with their employer the Tambankulu Estates. Negotiations between the two parties have been reported to have gone on for several months with no settlement. The borne of contention, it has been suggested by sources, is the fact that the two parties have intransigently stood firm in their positions, the union firmly demanding a 15% wage increment and the employer being unwavering in offering them 4.5% . The matter had already been lodged at the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) for mediation by the union. Reports suggest that mediation at CMAC hit a snag on Wednesday 20th September 2023 when it was pointed out that the union had omitted critical steps provided for in the recognition...

Pictured Above: President Mbongwa lifted aloof by the workers during the EOGM at the SNAT center IN Manzini (Picture courtesy of the SNAT Platform on Facebook) WRITTEN BY FUNDIZWI SIKHONDZE  The membership of the educators union ,the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) ,have resolved to stand firmly behind him following his dismissal by the government of Eswatini from his employment as a teacher. In a Extra Ordinary General Meeting held on Friday 15th  September 2023 at its head offices in Manzini, and attended by over 2000 members ,TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina, several leaders of the Mass Democratic Movement as well as members of SNAT were unequivocal in stating their support for the president and further called for his reinstatement.  The Secretary General (SG) of SNAT Lot "Gaddafi" Vilakati presented a detailed report to the EOGM and in the report the SG laid down the history of the different forms charges that have been laid against President M...

Pictured Above: Samuel Lumanyoka Shongwe, former NAWUSHI President and the current MP candidate for Ntondozi Constituency. Former Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and the National Workers Union in Swaziland  Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI) president Samuel Shongwe (popularly known as Lumanyoka) recently won primary elections at his home area of kaNdinda to become a candidate for Member of Parliament (MP) in the upcoming secondary elections for Ntondozi Inkhundla in the Manzini region. Shongwe beat two other candidates one of whom was the outgoing Minister of Tourism and former Ntondozi MP Moses Vilakati and one Lucky Matsenjwa. Reports suggest that Shongwe received 684 votes while Vilakati came second with 498 votes and Lucky Matsenjwa received 146 votes out of the votes cast both on the 26th August and the special voting that had been carried out on Thursday the 24th August 2023 in Manzini.   Speaking to the ELI  Shongwe expressed appreciation to the people...

  Pictured above: TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba (File picture) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) President Bheki Mamba called for the  for Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) members to ensure that they close all health facilities if the government shows no commitment towards hiring health workers and filling vacant posts and purchasing medical drugs in public health facilities.  President Bheki made these remarks while addressing a protest action to protest the lack of medicine and health workers led by SWADNU on Wednesday 30th August 2023. President Bheki also condemned health and general government officials of doing the bidding for private health practitioners when they refer patients to purchase medicine that is not available in the government hospital to private facilities such as Mbabane Clinic. He added that the non hiring of  health workers is another ploy to drive patients to the private healthcare pro...

  Picture: SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini addressing the 28-30 th September 2022 SNAT Conference where he was re-elected unopposed in Matsapha, Eswatini (pic credit: SNAT Social Media Platforms) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze On Tuesday the 29 th August 2023 the Eswatini Government dismissed the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Mbongwa Dlamini from its employment as a teacher. Their correspondence stated that, “The Commission (Teaching Service Commission) has, according to section 36(F) of the Employment Act (1980), decided to terminate your services as a teacher with immediate effect”. The dismissal of President Mbongwa has been met with strong condemnation that point to trade union and human rights infringement. It is also viewed as only the latest harassment move by the Eswatini government to quell a popular call for democracy and restoration of full human and trade union rights. This is probably because in the lead up to his dismissal he h...