Firefighters in Swaziland are threatening to strike
because they are being forced to work in ‘appalling conditions’. Government
funding is so bad they have to buy their own uniforms and safety equipment.
‘We have been buying ourselves uniforms because it
takes years for the department to supply us and the quality is deplorable for
us, as we need heat-resistant uniforms due to the environment we work under,’
one firefighter told the Observer on
Saturday newspaper (26 May 2018).
With the wild grass fire season starting, firefighters
say they do not have masks to prevent smoke inhalation. Other equipment such as
gloves are also not available.
One officer told the newspaper there were also
problems in the fire stations and dormitories. It added, ‘Firefighters said the
Mbabane station was just a health hazard to employees, they said if health
inspectors could do their work at the station, no doubt it could be closed.’
Firefighters said they had to buy lightbulbs for the
guard house and had inadequate heating. They also said their communications
system was no longer working and they often had to use their own cell phones
during emergencies.
Swaziland National Fire and Emergency Services (SNFES) spokesperson
Herbert Shabangu told the newspaper, ‘It’s a trying moment for the government
department as there is no money for doing most of the key things for emergency
service.’
If they do strike, the firefighters could find
themselves in legal trouble. The Swazi Government in 2015 declared SNFES
personnel were ‘a uniformed service’ like the police and army and were not
permitted to strike.
Firefighters are members of the National Public
Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU).
See also
FIREFIGHTERS
‘ORDERED TO CHURCH’
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