By Bongiwe Dlamini

MANZINI:Abigal Jele,the dismissed Swaziland United Democratic Front(SUDF) Media Officer has written a letter to the political organization,demanding over two hundreds thousand Rands(R200,000.00) as compensation for alleged unfair dismissal.

The was delivered to SUDF Chairman Lucky Dlamini on Monday and the fired Media Officer further informed the political organization that, the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) will now act on her behalf.

Lucky Dlamini, the SUDF Chairman confirmed to this publication that, the political organization has been served with a letter of demand adding that, the latest developments in the matter suggest that,he can no-longer comment about it as it is subjudice.

“There’s a new twist to the matter.It forced me to be locked into a meeting with the SUDF leadership as they served us with papers of demand.Our leadership resolved this means we can no longer comment as it's now sub judice.Thank you for your cooperation Nkhosi”, reads a message in part sent to editor Zweli Martin Dlamini on Monday evening by the SUDF Chairman.

SUDF,an umbrella organization for pro-democracy groups in eSwatini is currently embroiled in a labour dispute with its former Media Officer who alleges that, her services were unfairly terminated.

In the letter,Jele alleges that, when the project funded by the Denmark based Global Action elapsed at the end of 2022,she was encouraged by the Management to continue working without pay and promised that,she will be considered and compensated in a new SUDF upcoming project. She also cited that,as the organization decided to terminate her services this means, she was being owed salaries covering the period where she was working without pay.

“In view of the above,I worked from January to March 2024 without pay and I am owed a total of E36’000.00 in unpaid salaries. As a result of my unfair termination,I demand compensation total E187’636.00 which can be broken down when the need rise”, reads the letter in part.

Lucky Dlamini, the SUDF Chairman and Global Action,previously denied that,Jele was unfairly dismissed but claimed, she was engaged for a specific project and her services were automatically terminated at the end of that project.

Reached for comments on Monday evening,Wander Mkhonza, the ATUSWA Secretary General confirmed that, as a union, they will be representing the worker whose rights have been violated.

“We view her as a worker whose rights have been violated and as a union, we can’t standby when workers rights are being violated be it government, employers or one amongst us, we are going to stand by the worker throughout this process”, said the ATUSWA Secretary General.