NEW PUBLIC SERVICE BILL PRESSURE

International condemnation against the Swazi Government’s plan to sack civil servants who are ‘visibly associated’ in politics is growing.

The Public Service Bill currently going through the Swaziland Parliament will require civil servants to ‘serve the government of the day in a way that ensures that the public officer maintains the confidence of the government'. Public servants will not be allowed to be members of political formations or be involved in politics.

Now, Public Services International (PSI), based in France, has written to Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed prime minister, to protest that it would be ‘practically impossible for public servants to exercise their right to organize themselves politically or to publicly express views of a political nature’ if the bill becomes law.

PSI says in a letter to Dlamini dated 3 September 2009 that the law is formulated in such a way so that it can be used to suppress trade union activity and hinder trade unions’ efforts to represent their members’ social and economic interests.

‘PSI believes that the real purpose of the bill is to intimidate anyone who criticises the policy decisions or actions of the government of Swaziland.’

In the letter Peter Waldorff, PSI General Secretary, says, ‘We stress that the Public Service Bill 2009 is a piece of legislation that will serve to oppress dissident voices in your country. We see this law as an extension of the draconian Suppression of Terrorism Act and the prohibition of opposition political parties.’

PSI says the Public Service Bill is a violation of several international conventions signed by Swaziland, including the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association, which Swaziland ratified in 1978.

PSI is a global trade union federation representing more than 20 million women and men working in public services. It has 685 affiliated unions in 160 countries and territories, including in Swaziland.

PSI’s move comes a week after the trade union organisations FOA – Fag og Arbejde – from Denmark sent Dlamini a similarly worded letter of protest.

OPPOSITION TO PUBLIC SERVICE BILL

The Swaziland Government faces more international criticism over its decision to sack public servants who show an interest in politics.

The government has introduced the Public Service Bill that says it will be an offence for a public servant to be ‘visibly associated’ with a political formation or organisation. It will also be an offence to be a member of a political party. Officers found guilty will be dismissed from their jobs.

The trade union organisation FOA – Fag og Arbejde – which has 200,000 members in Denmark has written to Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed prime minister, to say that the Public Service Bill will ‘make it practically impossible for public servants to exercise their right to organize themselves in political formations.

‘The law is formulated in such a way, so it can be used to suppress the trade union movements and hinder their effort to represent the members’ social and economic interests.’

‘We see that the real purpose of the bill is top intimidate anyone who speaks out against the government of Swaziland.’

FOA points out that the Public Services Bill violates several international conventions that Swaziland has in fact signed up to.

FOA has vowed to continue to put pressure on the Swaziland Government through the International Labour Organisation, the Danish Government, Public Service International and the European Parliament.

Meanwhile, in Swaziland today (4 September 2009) labour unions will petition the Prime Minister’s office and Parliament calling for the revocation of the Public Service Bill.

A joint public statement issued this week by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) said, ‘This follows the disregard by the government of Swaziland to the various calls by the labour federations, the public sector employees and the public at large on the provisions of the Public Service Bill.’