Ntsebeng Motsoeli
POLICE have arrested some of the striking teachers for allegedly threating to harm colleagues who have not joined the job action. The police further warned that threatening anyone through social media or any other forum was a criminal act and they would not hesitate to arrest culprits.
Restive teachers, who have coalesced under the banner of three teachers’ unions- the Lesotho Association of Teachers (LAT), Lesotho Teachers Trade Union (LTTU) and the Lesotho School Principals Association (LeSPA), downed tools on 12 August 2019.
They struck after losing patience with the government’s tardiness in addressing their long-standing demands for salary increments and improved working conditions. But the work stoppage has not been fully embraced by all the teachers and those who have struck are said to be threatening action against their colleagues on social media.
Police Spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said teachers from Maseru and Mohale’s Hoek and other districts have been called in for questioning following allegations that they issued verbal threats as well as on social media to harm their colleagues who had not joined the strike.
“Police investigations have begun to find those behind threats to fellow teachers who are still working,” Sup Mopeli said.
The police subsequently released a statement, saying, “it has come to the realisation of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) that there have been threats directed at the teachers who have not joined the teachers’ strike”.
“The police have arrested some of the individuals who are suspected to have made threats and they will face trial in the courts of law. The police are grateful to the members of public who have given information that has led to the arrest the suspects.
“The LMPS strongly warns those who have made threats to stop immediately. The police wish to inform people that making threats is a criminal act under Section 34 of the Penal Code of 2010.”
A fortnight ago, restive teachers downed their chalks to protest the government’s delay in addressing their long-standing demands for salary increments and improved working conditions.
The strike went ahead despite government’s threats to enforce a no work, no pay policy. The government also threatened to lock striking teachers out of schools if they do not return to work immediately.
During the first week of the strike, the teachers went on the rampage in Maseru blocking the flow of traffic at the main traffic circle and placed rocks and stones on the road.
A week before the strike, Communications, Science and Technology minister, Thesele ‘Maseribane announced that teachers’ unions agreed to postpone the job action to allow the inter-ministerial committee to continue negotiations with them.
But his pronouncements were disproved barely five days later when hundreds of teachers picketed in the streets before they were dispersed by the police.
Speaking at a recent press conference, Chief ‘Maseribane, who chairs the inter-ministerial committee tasked with the negotiating with the teachers, said the latest strike was unlawful because teachers’ representatives had agreed that teachers would continue working while their representations continued to engage the government.
Chief ‘Maseribane said government would not tolerate lawlessness and appealed to teachers to go back to work failing which, a no work, no pay policy. He said striking teachers would also be locked out of schools.
“We advise teachers to report back to work,” Chief ‘Maseribane said.
“We have heard rumours that there were plans to burn some schools. We will not tolerate acts of lawlessness such as those that happened on Monday (in Maseru). This government is ready to respond to acts of lawlessness.”
Chief ‘Maseribane said although the teachers’ grievances were reasonable and government was determined to address them, that did not give the teachers the right to go on strike whenever they wanted to.
“Government acknowledges the validity of the teachers’ complaints but that does not give them the right to engage in unlawful strikes. We have also conceded that government has been slow (in addressing the teachers’ grievances) but we have made plans to increase our manpower to fast-track the implementation some of the agreements which have been reached in the negotiations. Teachers were not contracted to block traffic in town. They were hired to teach children,” Chief ‘Maseribane said.
He denied allegations in some quarters that teachers’ unions had been coerced into cancelling the strike saying that they had agreed to do so after amicable discussions with the government.