For those of us who missed this, here’s a video showing about 100 South African trade unionists who picketed the Swaziland consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 15 November 2010 in support of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign and in support of a march held the previous day within the kingdom.
Speakers here are Skumbuso Pahkati, deputy president of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and Bongani Musaku, international officer, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). More more information on the march, click here
In South Africa, the disgust with Swaziland’s King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is spreading.
A trade union-led campaign to condemn and isolate the Swazi regime is now getting wider support, including from the Church and the ruling ANC, the Afrol News agency reports.
The Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU) has increasingly sought provocation. It hosts and finances the Swaziland Solidarity Network, a main source of international information about rights abuses in the kingdom. But the union also assists underground Swazi unionists; organises protests inside and outside Swaziland; sends in protesters; and even has blocked the Swazi border.
Only last month (September 2010), South African trade unionists streamed into Swaziland to participate in a pro-democracy protest. Several were stopped at the border and sent back. Others were detained by Swazi police and some report being beaten up. COSATU, it seems, is as war with the Swazi regime.
The claimfrom Swaziland’s Finance Minister that the European Union might loan the kingdom money to pay civil servants’ salaries has prompted a swift response from pro-democracy activists.
Majozi Sithole told Swazi state broadcaster SBIS that reports that civil servants would not be paid from next month because the government was broke were not true.
The EU and other donor organisations had said they were willing to help out, he said.
Now pro-democracy activists have said the EU should not give help to the Swazi regime, headed by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, without ‘conditions of democratization, the observance of human rights, and good governance’.
Africa Contact, Denmark, has written to Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to say Swaziland’s ‘record in all three areas is less than adequate’.
The letter states, ‘We believe that it would be unethical for the EU, as well as against its core values, to support a country whose Prime Minister less than a week ago called for the torturing of all visiting foreigners that actively called for the democratisation of the country.’
‘This is a unique opportunity to be able to demand that Swaziland treats its population to the minimum standards that the world has deemed necessary, as well as listens to its poverty-stricken population.
‘As you are well aware, Swaziland is one of the most unequal societies in the world - a country where two thirds of the population survive on less than a dollar per day and where over 40 percent are HIV-positive, whilst the King and a small elite continue to squander the countries resources on prestige projects and luxury items.’
Once it became known that Africa Contact had sent the letter, other pro-democracy organizations, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) pledged to lobby the EU not to give aid to Swaziland without conditions.
South African trade unionists will lead the ‘biggest march ever seen in Swaziland’ next week in support of the unbanning of political parties in the kingdom.
Coastu, (the Congress of South African Trade Unions)announced that the march will be part of the Global Day of Action(fast becoming a week of activities) for democracy in Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
The protests are due to take place from Monday to Friday (starting 6 September 2010).
The union’s secretary in Mpumalanga, Fidel Mlombo, said, ‘Senior leaders of Cosatu will be in Swaziland next Tuesday to meet with a coalition of trade unions in that country, including all the political parties that have been banned. We’ve planned the biggest march seen in that country in the last 30 years.
‘We will be submitting a memorandum to the government of Swaziland demanding the unbanning of political parties, removal of all laws that inhibit political activities, and an end to the harassment and torture of political activists.’
He said the coalition in Swaziland was acting in accordance with the lingdom’s Labour Relations Act, which permits them to give notice of a planned march or strike.
‘But our members who are going are aware that they might be arrested and that we might not come back. If King Mswati III orders that we must be arrested, we'll get arrested,’ he said.
In South Africa, Cosatu plans to hold demonstrations outside various police stations to encourage the government to engage in talks with its Swaziland counterparts to unban political parties.
Meanwhile, the youth leagues of the ANC and SACP have also announced that they are planning to campaign for democracy in the kingdom.
At its national general council held in Johannesburg last weekend, the ANCYL took a resolution to support the campaign for social and political justice in the kingdom.
Spokesperson Floyd Shivambu told African Eye News Service that the league was busy drafting a ‘programme of action’ to support the Swaziland nation.
The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) said it would welcome any support in its campaign to bring democracy to Swaziland.
Spokesperson Lucky Lukhele said the monarchy was ill-equipped to combat the poverty, unemployment and high prevalence of HIV/Aids that troubled the kingdom's one million people.
‘International investors are reluctant to invest in Swaziland because there is no democracy. According to statistics, Swaziland is facing high levels of inequality between the rich and the poor because more than 70 percent of the population live on less than US$1 a day, and more than 300 000 people depend on food aid.
‘We will support any intervention from outside organisations that are willing to help us achieve democracy.’
Norway has pledged to work for democracy in Swaziland and compares the fight for freedom in the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, to its role in the fight against apartheid in neighboring South Africa.
There is a large number of human rights issues in Swaziland, including the harassing and jailing of pro-democracy activists. Pro-democracy activists say a monarchy is ill-equipped to combat the poverty and AIDS that trouble the kingdom of 1 million wedged between South Africa and Mozambique.
At a Norwegian-sponsored meeting held in South Africa yesterday (11 August 2010) and featuring diplomats and Swazi pro-democracy groups, Norwegian Ambassador Tor Christian Hildan said his government was not alone in noting ‘with growing concern the difficult situation regarding human rights, freedom of speech’ in Swaziland.
