Swazi Observer

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JUNIOR POLICE INVADE PM’S HOMESTEAD

By KWANELE SIBIYA | 2022-11-04

THE operational support services unit (OSSU) and officers from the criminal investigations department (CID) were called in to attend to a security threat at the prime minister’s private residence yesterday.

This was after junior police officers paid an impromptu visit to the Prime Minister, Cleopas Dlamini’s homestead at Nhlambeni.
Junior officers from His Majesty’s Correctional Services and Royal Eswatini Police Service were recently stopped in their tracks from marching to Cabinet offices by senior officers who were armed with a court order.

During the march, the junior officers said they wanted to get responses to a petition they had earlier delivered to the prime minister’s office.
Officers from the Eswatini Correctional Services Staff Association (ECOSSA) were not part of the visit to the prime minister’s homestead.

The junior officers said the purpose of their visit to the prime minister’s homestead was to make him appreciate why they were an important stakeholder, which deserved to enjoy benefits of the 2014 salary restructuring exercise.

They said this was in response to comments the premier allegedly made in relation to significance in the country.
The officers, who drove in their personal vehicles, did not find the prime minister at his home and left without having an audience with him.

Their unannounced visit to the prime minister’s homestead raised a security concern as they spent time at the entrance.
This saw officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and OSSU hurriedly arriving to attend to the officers.

Peacefully
Upon arrival, the OSSU and CID officers peacefully reasoned with their colleagues, who after the negotiations left.
The officers, who spoke on condition that their identities be protected, said the reason they decided to pay the prime minister a visit was to make him understand and appreciate why they were important and the role they played.

They said this was after the prime minister during the debate of his office’s second quarter performance report, enquired about their significance.
“We decided that it would be best to visit him at his home to explain our importance in the country’s security structures.

Our intention was to politely inform the prime minister that we are an essential stakeholder of government, which deserved to benefit from the salary restructuring exercise because we provide security for the country, including his,” they stated.
The officers said they would schedule another date to visit the prime minister as they did not find him.

Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, said government could not disclose any information to the media at this point, adding they were waiting for a report from the police on what transpired at the prime minister’s homestead.
He said after receiving the report they would make an official comment.

Following the incident, junior officers who provided security for the prime minister were said to have been immediately reassigned.
According to reliable sources, senior officers were assigned to the premier’s security detail.
“The junior officers were removed from their posts effective immediately as they are said to be capable of compromising the prime minister’s safety,” said the source.

They said another reason was that junior officers were currently aggrieved following the non-implementation of the Phase II salary restructuring exercise as per their demand.
Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer (PICO) Inspector, Nosipho Mnguni, said she was not at liberty to comment on the issue because it touched on State security.

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