UNISWA CRISIS: PUT UNISWA UNDER ADMINISTRATION

...Uniswa academic and non-academic staff pass vote of no confidence on their management. They now want Ministry of education to run the institution until new management is found.

Academic and nonacademic staff at the University of eSwatini have given their management up to tomorrow—Friday March 1, 2024— to resign or they will engage in an indefinite strike to force them out of the institution.

This was revealed in an extensive podcast interview between Secretary General of the Association of Lecturers and Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP) Dr Mduduzi Shongwe and National Workers Union of Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI) Secretary General, Stanley Simelane.

Simelane and Dr Shongwe said they have lost all confidence in the management of the University to turn things around at the institution. They said they have already written to the management telling them to resign by Friday or they will withhold their labour power as implementors at the institution.

The highly explosive podcasts was held to understand the granular detail of the challenges at the University and the two unionists left no stone unturned. Dr Shongwe went on to state that the Ministry of education must temporarily take charge of the University while a solution was being sought the replacement of their management.

Echoing Dr Shongwe, Simelane said resigning was not enough as there would need to be an audit of the institution so that where need be there can be prosecution for those in management who have stolen or misappropriated funds.

Dr Shongwe indicated that they were working at cross purposes with the University as they continue to announce exams and continuation of the academic calendar when management knows as a union, they have planned activities in line with their continued activism to various stake holders on the challenges at the institution.

When sought for comments University Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane has promised to respond comprehensively to all the allegations of the unions. He said he will contact us once they have listened to all the allegations the union makes.

If the stalemate between the management and staff continues at the University exams may be affected and continued delay for those who were already inconvenienced by the four weeks strike of last year.

This forced the University to postpone intake by a year. If the current statement continues the University may be forced to postpone the intake by another year. The highly explosive and informative podcast premiers on The Bridge social media platforms and Eswatini Media Hub at 20:00 hrs on Sunday.