By Zweli Martin Dlamini

EZULWINI:King Mswati’s mother-in-law Jabulile Mashwama, the Managing Director of the Eswatini Water Services Corporation(EWSC) has demoted some senior members of the Management with an alleged intention to accommodate or promote her friends.

Nomahlubi Matiwane, the then Water Services Public Relations Officer(PRO) is now the Director Business Enablement and Corporate Affairs.

But some of the demoted senior employees told Swaziland News earlier this week that, the Managing Director said, the company was restructuring but promised that in the process, their salaries won’t be affected.

“The so called restructuring is not only at the top but some senior employees who were working in the office, are now fixing leaking pipes after the demolition”, said one of the affected Water Services employees.

Nomahlubi Matiwane,the Water Services Director Business Enablement and Corporate Affairs Manager declined to comment about the allegations.

Reached for comments on Wednesday afternoon, Wander Mkhonza,the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) described the conduct of the Managing Director as a violation of the workers rights.

“You can’t just demote workers and then tell them their salaries won’t be affected, because it’s not about the salary but terms and conditions of employment or service.If you demote an employee who is working in the office to a lower position of fixing leaking pipes, you are tempering with the dignity of the employee”, said the ATUSWA Secretary General.

Mkhonza then quoted Section 26 of the Employment Act while emphasizing that,employees must be consulted before the implementation of any changes in the conditions of their employment.

The well-known union leader further mentioned that, these demotions by the Water Services Managing Director Jabulile Mashwama, might be strategic and intended to frustrate and force the affected employees to resign.He then urged the affected workers to report the restructuring changes or demotions to the Office of the Labour Commissioner adding that, an employer is obligated to consult the employee for his/her opinion before implementing such restructuring that might result to changes in the terms of employment or service.