MBABANE – Government has kept its promise as SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini received his salary yesterday.
The good news was shared by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General (SG), Lot Vilakati. The release of the SNAT president’s salary was realised a day after the association, comprising their National Executive Committee (NEC), as well as branch leaders, delivered a petition to the Ministry of Education and Training on Wednesday. The petition was accepted by the Acting Principal Secretary in the ministry, Naniki Mnisi, who was accompanied by the Director of Education, Dr Lenhle Dlamini, among other senior officials.
Salary
The petition called for the release of the SNAT president’s salary. The battle of the president’s salary started last October, when government stopped his salary, claiming that he had been absent from work for 100 days. Three months ago, the Industrial Court ruled in favour of Mbongwa and ordered government to reinstate his salary. Worth noting is that on Wednesday, after they delivered the petition, the SG told the SNAT members that he had been informed that government had reinstated the president’s salary. However, the SNAT members stated that they found it hard to trust the officials unless their president confirmed that the salary was reflecting in his bank account.
Message
Vilakati explained to the SNAT members that he communicated a similar message to the government officials. He said in order to be sure that his salary was indeed reinstated; the president should apply for a salary advance. Vilakati said the officials vowed that by 11am yesterday, the advance would be deposited into his account. Yesterday, at 12:38pm, the SG confirmed that the SNAT president had indeed been paid his July salary. Vilakati said they were hopeful that there wouldn’t be any glitches next month. He stated that they were pleased that the president’s salary was reinstated and other issues would be clarified over time. The SNAT NEC members clarified that Mbongwa had not yet received the over E152 000 backpay.
