The Swaziland National Association of Teachers was today denied permission to gather at the Coronation Park and further use the Mbabane City Roads when marching to deliver a petition to the Prime Minister’s office.

The Association had released a statement notifying it membership of a petition delivery exercise where they revealed that the excesise will be preceded by a public sensitization march that will commence at the Cororanition park in Mbabane.

However, that did not happen as the Mbabane Municipality denied the association permission to use the part and the city’s roads citing that the association did not file the permission request on time.

“As per the requirement of the Section 6 of the Public Order Act, 2017 May (Act No. 12 of 2017 notice must be given by the convener not less than four (40 days before the date of the intended gathering by filling in the forms set out in schedule 1. This schedule was only submitted by the convener on the 24^th May 2021, which is less than the permitted number of days. Based on the above, Council regret to inform you that your request to use the public road is not approved,” read a letter addressed to SNAT.

Meanwhile, the petition delivery exceciize will go ahead as the teachers association has already gathered at the road below the High Court which is about 500 metres from the gates of the Cabinet Offices.

Meanwhile, the SNAT SG denied being informed that they were denied permission to use the country’s roads saying he also learned about such through Social Media. He said the application to use the country’s roads was submitted accordingly and he suspects that the Mbabane Town Council was coerced into the decision they took.