… Transport to ferry between Mbabane and Manzini
BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE – The Government of Eswatini has acted swiftly!
Government Spokesperson Alpheus Nxumalo today announced that government has provided two buses to ferry the working class, pupils, and the public in the Mbabane-Manzini corridor.
The announcement by the spokesperson follows the scarcity of transport in the country, following the transport associations committing to a stand-off today and tomorrow.
When sought for comment, Nxumalo said the public could board on the buses at the Mbabane and Manzini bus ranks.
“There will be no strict times for travel. Once the bus is full it will hit the road. We did this so that the working class, and most importantly, pupils, can get to their destinations.
“The public, which needs to travel, is also permitted to board on the buses that the Government of Eswatini provided,” said Nxumalo.
Yesterday, Acting Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku released a statement, stating that they believed sanity would prevail and no liSwati would be inconvenienced in the next two days.
Masuku said yesterday morning, the High Court granted a final order interdicting public transport employees from proceeding with the intended unlawful strike action tomorrow, Tuesday December 13, 2022 and Wednesday December 14, 2022.
“Government took the decision to take this matter to Court using Section 89 of the Industrial Relations Act, 2000, which states that the Minister may apply for an order in the national interest, if, according to sub-section (1), “Any lockout or strike is threatened or taken, whether in conformity with this Act or otherwise, and the Minister considers that the national interest is threatened or affected thereby, he may make an application to the Court, for an injunction restraining the parties from commencing or from continuing such action, and the Court may make such order thereon, as it considers fit, having regard to the national interest.”
“Subsection 2 of the Act reads: “Where the Court, upon hearing such an application under subsection (1) makes an order, the parties bound by that order shall immediately refrain from or discontinue such action, and the matter which gave rise to the action shall be deemed to have been referred to the parties concerned for determination.”
“In light of this order, government expects public transport employees to be at work and transport operators to be on the road tomorrow, servicing people. Any action that is contrary to this order therefore amounts to Contempt of Court and Government is obliged to take the necessary action,” said Masuku.
He went on to say as government, they still maintained that the disruption of public transport was not in the interest of emaSwati.
“There is no way denying people their right of movement can be justified. As we speak, children are writing their examinations and we should allow them to do so in preparation for their future and future of this country without any disturbance.
“Government encourages all emaSwati to make use of the toll free emergency line 112 to report any disturbances related to the illegal strike.”
