MBABANE: Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo,the Secretary General of the Police Staff Association has confirmed that aggrieved junior cops invaded the Mbabane Police Headquarters in the early hours on Monday, and lock the gate.
The junior police officers are demanding a salary increment under Phase two(2),they recently rejected a four(4) percent increment that was tabled by Mswati’s Government.
The tension erupted after senior officers within the Executive Command allegedly looted over R100 million being monies meant to increase salaries for junior officers.
The money for junior officers was allegedly looted through the creation of the now redundant Deputy and Assistant Commissioners positions,after creating the posts, the Senior officers subsequently shared the money among themselves through a salary increment.
Reached for comments on Monday, Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo, the Secretary General of the Police Staff Association confirmed the locking of the gate at the Headquarters on Monday morning.
“We can confirm that junior officers locked the gates but the senior officers later unlocked.For now, the junior officers are just sending a warning sign that they want their money,”said the Secretary General of the Police Staff Association.
Sergeant Khumalo said she was not on the ground but received a report from the officers who conducted the operation and locked the gate at the Headquarters.
It has been gathered that around 7am when junior police officers were locking the gate at the Mbabane Police Headquarters, warders were also locking the Correctional Services Headquarters.
Insiders within the security forces told this publication that the protest within the security forces was also supported by soldiers.
“Some soldiers are in full support of the ongoing protests within the security forces but for now they are watching from a distance monitoring the situation, they also want the salary increment.The soldiers said they will come-in if anyone touched the Secretary General or those who are at the forefront,” said the insiders.
A questionnaire was sent to Police Spokesperson Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Tension is escalating within the security forces after Mswati’s Government failed to increase salaries for junior police officers, warders and soldiers for almost ten(10)years.
On another note, the four(4) percent that was rejected by the officers, suggests that Mswati’s government was intending to increase the salaries for junior officers with a mere four hundred Rands(R400.00).
The entrance of the Police Headquarters.