MBABANE: Sticks Nkambule, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Transport, Communications, and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU), says they will soon intensify pressure, demanding a four thousand Rands (R4,000.00) per month salary for all public transport workers.
Due to low wages, eSwatini workers are among the about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, the economy benefits Mswati and allies.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Sunday, the SWATCAWU Secretary General said that after realizing that the economy of the country was losing billions every time they downed tools, they now understand that it’s possible to secure a R4000 salary.
“We were surprised that our work is very important such that everytime when we down tools, the economy suffers a loss worth billions but we are benefiting nothing. Now, we think that out of those billions, R4000.00 would be a reasonable salary for us,”said the Secretary General.
Sabelo Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Eswatini Kombis Association, referred comments to Magesi Dlamini, the Chairperson of the National Roads Transport Council (NRTC).
“Kindly contact Magesi Dlamini, the Chairperson of the Transport Roads Council; this is a national issue and he is better positioned to respond," said the Kombis Association Secretary General.
Efforts to reach the Roads Council Chairperson proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Public Transport operators are highly expected to down tools on Tuesday and Wednesday, in demand for democracy and the release of incarcerated pro-democracy Members of Parliament (MPs) Bacede Mabuza, Mthandeni Dube, and other political prisoners.
SWATCAWU Secretary General Sticks Nkambule.