MANZINI: Kombi conductors in Manzini engaged in a protest action on Monday against harassment by the police who allegedly arrested them for operating at Mhlaleni.
Police had to run for their dear lives and call for a back-up as the protestors threw stones at them turning the city here in Manzini North into a battlefield.
Reached for comments, Sabelo Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Eswatini Local Kombis Association confirmed that kombi conductors and drivers were complaining that the situation was no longer conducive as police continued to arrest them for operating at Mhlaleni.
“It’s true that police are arresting them for operating at Mhlaleni and they even went as far as issuing summons instead of tickets. We cannot comment further on the legality of the summons as we also want to verify how can a police officer go around with summons instead of tickets. To the best of my knowledge, summons must be issued by a Judge and you ask yourself, how did the Judge know police would find offenders along the roads for them to issue summons even before the offense was committed?” said the Kombis Association Secretary General.
The situation subsequently became chaotic by Monday afternoon after some few police officers tried to dispense the protestors, they were welcomed by a hail of stones and had to run for cover.
Traffic enterprise town from Mbabane, Matsapha, Ngwane Park and other surrounding areas was blocked.
Questions were sent to Police Spokesperson Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Chaos in Manzini