Africa-Press – Eswatini. Sicelo ‘KhungaNkhosi’ Dlamini, the Mayiwane Member of Parliament(MP) says, he will wait for the Government review application on the much talked about junior police officers salary increment under Phase two(2).
Dlamini, a former police officer is the same MP who successfully moved a Parliament motion seeking to increase salaries for junior police officers, the motion was seconded by Mhlangatane MP Bonginkosi Madala Mhlanga and subsequently supported by the entire House of Assembly.
“We can’t comment for now as we are waiting for the merits of the intended Government Supreme Court review application in the matter”, said the Mayiwane MP when responding on Sunday morning.
Junior police officers are at loggerheads with Government amid refusal or delay in the payment of their back-pay in terms of a Government Circular awarding them a salary increase under Phase two(2).
But this is not the first time the eSwatini Government demonstrate reluctance to respect Supreme Court orders, sources told that, Judges will be intimidated to reverse the salary increment judgement that “is highly expected to cost Government over R1billion as a back-pay for junior security officers”.
Government has been refusing to award junior security officers their salary increment for over ten(10) years now and, the junior police and Correctional Services officers are now entitled to a back-pay amounting to over one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00) each, while those holding the position of Sergeant are allegedly entitled to over three hundred thousand Rands(R300,000.00).
But apart from paying the back-pay, the Government “is, in terms of the Phase two Circular, obligated” to increase the salaries to at least fifteen thousand Rands(R15,000.00) while those holding the position of Sergeant, will earn over eighteen thousand Rands(R18,000.00) monthly.
But while the security officers were expecting their payment, Government announced that,the court order won’t be implemented or respected but instead, a Consultant will be engaged to review the salaries.
Worth-noting, Government has been citing Consultants for the past ten(10) years and recently, Public Service Minister Mabulala Maseko told Parliament that, Phase two was implemented triggering tension with the junior police officers.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini recently told police officers that, they won’t receive any salary increment under Phase two.
Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch, the country is facing high levels of poverty amid low salaries for civil servants including security officers and workers within the private sector.
The low wages paid in eSwatini have reduced the standard of living for a majority of the citizens, about 70% of the population live below the poverty line.
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