Workers
at the university in Swaziland that King Mswati III has chosen to spearhead his
University of Transformation started a strike on Monday (9 January 2016) protesting
about short-term contracts.
About 100
workers at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology took to the streets and
blocked the university’s main gate.
The
strike was led by the Swaziland Union of Non-Academic Staff for Higher
Institutions (SUNASHI).
The Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect
owned by King Mswati, reported SUNASHI Secretary General Fundizwi Sikhondze
saying, ‘The staff is concerned that the university offers them short
employment contracts. The staff is offered as little as a year’s contract while
some get two years.’
Limkokwing
has been chosen by King Mswati, who is both sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute
monarch and the Chair of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), to house
a University
of Transformation to take students from across the SADC region by August
2017.
The Observer reported Sikhondze saying, ‘We
believe the university is not a fly-by-night institution and will be in the
country for years to come. The government of Swaziland is constantly investing
large amounts to the institution and that gives us hope that it is not going
anywhere. Why can’t the university invest in its staff and employ them on a
permanent basis?’
Sikhondze
said the strike came after the university’s management and staff failed to
reach a consensus on their grievances.
Limkokwing
Vice Chancellor Professor Cedric Bell reportedly said the strike was set to
coincide with examinations at the university and cause maximum disruption.
A statement
from Limkokwing management published in the Observer
read in part, ‘The university has served notice of a lock out on the union and
those staff who choose to exercise their lawful right to strike will not be
paid during the period of labour withdrawal and are not to come onto the
campus.’
Limkokwing
was the centre of controversy in 2016. In December, a Swaziland parliamentary
committee ordered an investigation into the standard of qualifications held by
academic staff at the university. Students had petitioned the Swazi Government saying
many lecturers only held Bachelor degrees and had just themselves qualified
from the university.
Limkokwing has been at the centre of continuing protests from students
about standards of teaching and equipment since the university opened in 2011. According to its website, Limkokwing in Swaziland only offers ‘associate
degrees’ which are at a level below Bachelor degrees and in many institutions
are known as diplomas.
See also
KING’S
NEW UNWORKABLE UNIVERSITY
NEW SWAZI UNIVERSITY SUBSTANDARD
KING FELL FOR BOGUS UNIVERSITY
LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY IS ILLEGAL
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/limkokwing-university-is-illegal.html
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/limkokwing-university-is-illegal.html
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