MBABANE: Magesi Dlamini, the Chairperson of the National Road Transport Council (NRTC)has confirmed that public transport owners have mandated them to urgently engage Government to find a solution to the ongoing political unrest,failing which, they would park their vehicles until the challenges were resolved.
“It’s true that there was a resolution to engage Government regarding the political situation that is now affecting our businesses,we are now in that process. But lengingakusho Mlangeni, konkhe loko kusesigabeni sekutsi sikukhulumise, sibone kutsi sikubamba sikutsini,”said the National Road Transport Association(NRTC) Chairman.
But an influential insider within the public transport owners’ association who alerted this journalist about the matter, told this Swaziland News that as public transport owners, they wanted Government to release incarcerated Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube and further introduce democratic reforms so that they could operate in a free environment.
“As public transport owners,we are no longer operating in a conducive environment, everywhere,protestors are burning tyres yet banks are demanding their money thinking we are working. So now, we have resolved to park our vehicles even if it’s two(2)months until democracy is achieved and the MPs are released.We are now waiting for the calendar from the Solidarity Forces Commander to see when to halt operations. This thing wena Nkhosi is not only about transport workers, it is now backed by public transport owners, they are now sick and tired of this regime. But you can contact the Road Transport Chairman for a comment because yesterday(Sunday),there was a meeting with the Public Works Minister. We will then issue a last warning to the Prime Minister,”said the insider.
The insider said with the proposed national shutdown on the 13th December 2022, anything could happen as public transport owners are alleged to have said they would rather park their vehicles themselves instead of watching their vibrant employees pushing and fighting alone.
It has been disclosed that due to the urgency of the matter,indeed on Sunday(20th November 2022) public transport owners, represented by the National Road Transport Association(NRTC) held an urgent meeting with Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, the Minister of Public Works and Transport.
It has been revealed that due to the urgency and seriousness of the matter, the Minister asked to meet the public transport owners for kuvalelisa, hence the meeting was held on Sunday at the Public Works Ministry’s Offices.
Kuvalelisa is a siSwati word that defines a Swazi Customary Law practice of issuing a last warning before taking action or appealing to higher authorities.
A questionnaire was sent to the Public Works Minister, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Monday, the Commander of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF)said as the People’s Army, they would intensify operations that sought to ground the regime before and after the 13th December 2022 commencement of the national shutdown.
“We will intensify the operations ahead and after the date of the national shutdown and we would like to thank and further urge members of the public in the various communities to continue housing the Solidarity Forces within their homes,” said the Commander of the Solidarity Forces.
Reached for comments, Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said his organization declared 2013-2023 as a decade of liberation after realizing that the people were now ready to liberate themselves.
“We thank the public transport owners for taking this decision and we urge other businesses to fully support the national shutdown. The truth is,we won’t allow any business to operate normally as from 13th December 2022 until we reach the doorstep of our liberation,” said the PUDEMO President.
Public transport.