Mbabane: The electoral row between the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Eswatini National Association of Teachers (SNAT) and the Usutu Branch Executive Committee (UBEC) has led to the intervention of the industrial court. The matter involves the suspension of members of the UBEC, including Chairman, Patrick Mamba, who is alleged to have been un-procedurally elected into the chairmanship.
The matter was heard at the industrial court, and is reserved for judgment on July 3. According to sources within the organisation, the bone of contention is the interpretation of the organisation’s 2016 Conference Resolution, which prohibits candidates from contesting in more than one level.
Some elected members of the UBEC were said to have contested atboth the national and branch level, much against the dictates of the Resolution, and called for the executive committee to declare the elections null and void.
“The UBEChas challenged the suspension of its members and called for legal expertise in the interpretation of the organisation’s clause on elections, hence the matter ended in court,” said a source that will not be named. He said both the NECand the UBEC were in the dark regarding the clarification of the clause and the industrial court was the only way out. “After the court’s judgment everyone concerned should be at peace and take their rightful places,” said the source, adding that there was no animosity between the levels as the matter was more organisational than personal.
The Independent News also gathered that the implementation of the Resolution was done by an independent body called the National Credentials Committee, which came under the supervision of the NEC. The CredentialsCommitteealso runs the organisation’s electoral processes at all levels, after satisfying itself on the qualifications of candidates. It was also gathered that, however, after the UBEC elections the Credentials Committee was called to order by the national executive and pointed out errors. Consequently, the committee sought to restart the elections but were hindered by the interventions of the industrial court, which had been drawn by agreement of both the NEC and UBEC.
Misconduct
Earlier this year, the NEC had vowed to take to task the UBEC for what the association had termed ‘unbecoming misconduct’. Independent News had been made to understand that this followed the alleged refusal by the branch to facilitate holding of elections to replace the chairmanship of one Moses Hlophe, who had been transferred to another school outside the boundaries of the branch.
SNAT General Secretary, Sikelela Dlamini, confirmed the stance on the part of the UBEC, saying as an association, they were dismayed and disappointed at such behaviour. Consequently, the NEC instructed the UBEC in a letter dated March 27, 2019 and in subsequent correspondences and meetings laid between the structures to give cause for their rebellion. The UBEC was given until February 4, 2020 to respond but did not. Through pieces of advice from the SNAT General Council, they solicited legal opinion on the matter, and yet the UBEC maintained its position of refusing to facilitate the holding of the elections. This led to irregularities with regards to the operations and activities of the association, which included but not limited to, the processing of the General Council meetings. The meetings could not proceed beyond the Credentials Committee’s checking stage on July 20, 2019 and February 1, 2020.
“The NEC was supposed to roll out branch conferences, which, however, were rescheduled, all resulting from the attitude on the part of the Usuthu Branch Executive Committee, such pattern of thinking which cannot be taken lightly,” said the association’s GS. The GS added that the General Council Meeting which the Usutu branch had disturbed was supposed to deliberate on this matter. The conferences were to start on March 18, 2020. The NEC resolved to direct the Usutu Branch to show cause why they could not be suspended en-masse, from executing its organizational duties, pending finalization of the matter, all in terms of article 11.4 of the SNAT Constitution and By-laws.
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