Africa-Press – Eswatini. People who want to get to work on Tuesday will get there without any prejudice or disturbances.
Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, said Emaswati were very wise and peaceful people.
Nxumalo said as Christmas drew closer, they want the best festive season for everyone.
“We respect the transport industry, which enables most Emaswati from all walks of life to connect with their families and work places. Sanity, soberness and discretion will prevail,” he said.
This is despite public transport workers confirming that there would be a shutdown of the public transport industry countrywide over two days from Tuesday.
The workers took the resolution during a consultative meeting held at the Manzini Bus Rank yesterday.
The meeting, which was attended by representatives from other bus ranks in the four regions of the country started at 10am.
The workers seemed to be divided at first as they had dissenting views concerning their action as others were of the view that it would hit them hard financially since a majority of them were dependent on their work.
The said it was high time that those who called for transport blackout on media platforms to approach their employers and the associations and not talk to them.
The workers said their conduct had chased away their customers as most people purchased their own cars following the recurring protests actions at the country’s ranks.
However, others opined that the public had already been informed about the proposed transport shutdown through social media platforms and therefore, it was highly possible that they would stay at home.
They said if that happened then their efforts to report to work would be in vain.
They further said they would be risking their lives and vehicles, which may be torched for disobeying the orders.
It was then that they took a collective decision to continue with the proposed transport shutdown to demand the immediate release of Members of Parliament, Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi ‘Bacede’ Mabuza.
However, one of the public transport workers suggested that they should also continue with the shutdown on December 14 in solidarity with their colleagues who were arrested for assaulting a motorist, who transported people.
Another was opposed to the suggestion on grounds that their colleagues would require their support when they appeared in court and said staying at home would not be a good idea.
He further stated that the workers would require transport to ferry them to court.
It was then that some of the public transport workers who would be appearing in court stated that effecting the transport shutdown on Wednesday would make them happy. They claimed that it would send a strong message to their so called oppressors.
They said they had already arranged their own transport to court, adding that there was no reason to worry about their transport.
It was then that the public transport workers also agreed that the two-day transport blackout should be implemented.
They said they would return to work on Thursday to forge a way forward.
The workers further called on other sectors to join them.
They decried that each time they engaged in such action, they were the only ones who participated while other workers such as those in the textile industry, continued with their normal operations. They said this time around, they wanted all sectors to join them.
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