PUBLIC SERVICES BILL BRINGS WOES

The following is an extract from an article by Vusi Sibisi, one of the most outspoken journalists in Swaziland against the ruling regime, published in the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, this week.

In it he criticises the Swazi Government for introducing the Public Services Bill that ‘essentially seeks to ban civil servants from participating in the country’s politics [and has] widely been interpreted as a strong-arm tactic by the leadership to reign-in civil servants’.

Public Service Bill to add to SD’s woes

Already the all-powerful France-based Public Service International (PSI), a global union federation of organisations for civil servants, has condemned the proposed law and said it erodes the rights and freedoms of civil servants to be unionised and to belong to political parties.

The proposed law follows another controversial piece of legislation, the Suppression of Terrorism Act, which was promulgated in 2008. Already local public service organisations have put government on notice that they intended to take the battle to the streets over the proposed legislation.

As I see it, the proposed law will not help improve the international image of the Kingdom of eSwatini. For while most countries frown upon civil servants openly and publicly coming out to support political parties, especially while in the line of duty, their governments nonetheless respect the rights and freedoms of civil servants as private citizens to participate in the politics of their nations. This is why the proposed law has been viewed as an extension of the Suppression of Terrorism Act that effectively views anyone who is critical of the Tinkhundla system of government as a terrorist.

As noted by the PSI in its protest letter to the Prime Minister, Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini: “The Public Service Bill would make it practically impossible for public servants to exercise their rights to organize themselves politically or to publicly express views of a political nature. This law is formulated in such a way that it can be used to suppress trade union activity and hinder the trade unions’ efforts to represent their members’ social and economic interests.”

As I see it, the proposed law is nothing but another mechanism by the ruling elite to whip into line anyone who is critical of the obtaining political status quo. This situation is unlikely to endear this country to the rest of the democratic world and as such not even a spin doctor from the heavens can project this country in a positive light on the backdrop of sustained oppression of the people from exercising their inalienable rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the national constitution.

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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.