MBABANE: William Tsintsibala Dlamini, the National Commissioner of Police has announced new promotions of one hundred and twenty-three(123) police officers, a decision that will cost taxpayers more than R5million monthly in salaries and the decision is expected to increase the public servants wage bill to R1billion per-month.
Eswatini wage bill was previously criticized by the International Monetary Fund(IMF) in a report, on the basis that, the country’s expenditure was far above the Gross Domestic Products(GDP), when compared to other countries on the same development level with the Kingdom of eSwatini.
The promoted officers whose names were revealed through a memo this week,include those who were holding the rank of Constables, they will earn about fourteen thousand Rands(R14,000.00) after being promoted to the position of Sergeant.
Other officers who were promoted from Sergeant to the Inspector, will now earn about twenty thousand Rands(R20,000.00) in salaries sourced from public coffers.
But the issue of salaries and promotions divided the police organization during the political unrest,some officers who previously protested demanding a salary increment were suspended.
The new salaries for the promoted police officers suggest that, taxpayers will lose about R5million per-month to members of the law enforcement agency, whose primary duty “is to protect King Mswati an absolute Monarch and the current government”.
When asked by this Swaziland News if they “are happy with the new promotions”, Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo, the Secretary General (SG) of the Police Staff Association said, they cannot be happy if experienced police officers are ignored while those who recently passed-out are promoted.
“We shall never be happy nangabe kunebantfu labadzala lesolo bangakabekwa bese kuyobekwa bo 84”, said the Secretary General of the Police Staff Association.
Reached for comments and asked by this Swaziland News to clarify and justify the promotions, National Commissioner of Police William Tsintsibala Dlamini claimed he was struggling to hear the questions from this journalist.
“I am struggling to hear you Mlangeni, awvakali,” said the National Commissioner who subsequently terminated the conversation.
But in the documented memo seen by this publication, the National Commissioner noted that, the promotions were approved amid budgetary constraints.
“Congratulations are in order to all those who have been promoted amid budgetary constraints to support elevations.Presentations are on-ongoing with relevant Government structures where a request for authority to fill the remaining vacant promotional posts has been made in order to strengthen the operational frameworks particularly at supervisory levels within the organization”, reads the memo in part, signed by the National Commissioner.
But it appeared that, the memo was written in a manner aimed at creating hope among other officers that, more promotions will be announced.
Reached for comments, Lot Vilakati, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) said, Government refused to promote and further employ teachers permanently citing financial constraints but, money “is now available” for the promotions of police officers.
“We understand that,these promotions might be a strategic move to motivate police officers against us as we are preparing for a go-slow to force government to reinstate our dismissed President Mbongwa Dlamini. But despite that, we will continue with our plan to demand justice for our President”, said the SNAT Secretary General.
When asked by this publication to analyze objectively, what the new promotions within the police service mean to the country’s wage bill, a highly regarded economist said, there was nothing wrong if the elevations were within the structure of the police organization.
“When you run an organization, you create structures and the organization cannot function properly with certain vacant positions.I would make an example; if the promotions are meant to fill-up certain positions that were left vacate by, kodvwa ngubani nangu umngani wakho lovama kubhala ngaye lobekangu-Deputy Commissioner? Mthembu!. If the promotions are filling-up vacant positions left by deceased officers like bo-Mthembu and Mngometulu, then the wage bill won’t increase because that is within the structure of the organization.The wage bill increases only if, the organization creates new posts,” said the economist.
A memo signed by the National Commissioner.