Police fired teargas and rubber bullets at school pupils
as the teachers’ strike in Swaziland entered day three.
Armed officers were deployed in schools across the
kingdom to stop striking teachers from entering premises to encourage their
non-striking colleagues to join the action.
Reports from the ground in Swaziland, ruled by King
Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, were that police used
teargas as a first resort and in some cases fired rubber bullets when this did
not deter strikers.
Earlier, Minister of Education Wilson Ntshangase had
announced that police would arrest striking teachers because the strike had
been declared illegal. Teachers are seeking a 4.5 percent salary increase.
Yesterday (26 June 2012), in Pigg’s Peak, teachers and
school students were confronted by police. Police spokesperson, Superintendent
Wendy Hleta, said police fired weapons after teachers failed to disrupt classes
at Mhlatane High School.
Police and correctional services officers were called to
stop teachers chanting political slogans.
While the police were preventing the teachers from
proceeding to Mhlatane High School, some pupils from Peak Central High School
arrived, carrying sticks and stones. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas
at the pupils to stop them entering Mhlatane.
Some teachers and pupils were injured. At least two
teachers were admitted to Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital, according to local
media reports.
Police also fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse
teachers who were trying to enter Ezulwini Community Secondary School. The
police later told the Times of Swaziland newspaper, they only fired stun grenades.
In Siteki, riot police blocked roads to prevent teachers
from marching to the town centre.
At Mbekelweni Lutheran High School, armed police were
called to remove striking teachers who had entered the school.
Talks between the teachers union SNAT and the Swazi
Government to end the strike reportedly broke down last night without
agreement.
See also
STRIKING TEACHERS WILL BE ARRESTED
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