‘SWAZI NEWS’ ON MASS ACTION

Here are two reports from the Swazi News, an independent newspaper in Swaziland, about the forthcoming Global Day of Action.

Link

4 September 2010

SFTU’s mass protests on Tuesday-Wednesday

MBABANE - The country’s two major cities, Mbabane and Manzini will next week Tuesday and Wednesday come to a standstill as unions embark on a national protest.

Speaking to Swazi News, Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) Secretary General Mduduzi Gina explained that government failed to meet their demands hence the protest action was inevitable.

‘’We met with the Labour Advisory Body on Wednesday about our demands sadly government did not comply," said Gina.

Some of the demands include the withdrawal of the Public Service Bill which forbids civil servants from joining political parties, setting aside of the scholarship policy for consultations with all stakeholders, abolishment of SEC’s E55 monthly service charge and the removal of Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Corpora-tion’s (STPC) workers from essential services category.

Gina also explained that during the protest action government will be petitioned for the abolishment of employment through labour brokers/agents, shortage of drugs in public health institutions and making available Swaziland National Provident Fund contributions to contributors upon termination of employment despite their age.

The ministry of Natural Resources and Energy will be petitioned on September 8, 2010 on the E55 monthly service charge by SEC.

Unions allowed to march but…

MBABANE-The municipal council of Manzini has given permission to labour unions to use the city during their two-day demonstrations.

However, it has banned them from using streets within the heart of the town.

“It is true that I received a letter yesterday from the city council where they want us to use out- of-town streets like the one before Sydney Williams school," said Gina. Gina further revealed that out-of-town streets will serve no purpose as they intend to raise awareness about their grievances.

The letter also states that no noise would be allowed for security reasons. Gina again said; "We will be assembling at Jubilee Park as per the norm. We will use the Ngwane Street." The SFTU secretary general explained that the mass protest action is legal as every procedure was followed.

Government has repeatedly argued that workers should not include political issues in their demands but the workers have alleged that their lives were determined by the politics so it was impossible for them not to discuss political issues.

The protest action has attracted international attention as a number of trade unions throughout the world have set next week as a week to focus on Swaziland. News from other parts indicated that workers the world over, those affiliated to the International Federation of Trade Unions hold marches where the kingdom has embassies or diplomatic ties.

HISTORY AND POLITICS IN SWAZILAND

This is taken from Peter Kenworthy’s Stiffkitten blogsite, 7 August 2010.

Swaziland, the last autocratic monarchy in Africa, is a country in an almost constant state of crisis. The repeated human rights violations and harassment of the Swazi democracy movement by the Swazi regime, the huge inequalities between a small Swazi elite and the poor majority, and an Aids prevalence rate of over 40% should make newspapers and governments around the world react. In recent months the house of the Swaziland United Democratic Front National Organising Secretary has been bombed, maybe by the Swazi police; the President of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions has has his house searched by no less than 12 police officers; the leader of the largest opposition party, PUDEMO, Mario Masuku has been charged with acts of terrorism for speaking his mind and is more or less constantly harassed by police; student leader Pius Vilakati has gone missing after having been attempted abducted by police; and human rights activist and PUDEMO member Sipho Jele died in police custody, probably at the hands of the police.

But these stories are rarely if ever covered by the foreign media or condemned by world leaders or governments and the historic background to Swaziland's present situation is more or less unknown.

This article will therefore give a brief historical overview of Swaziland and comment on the situation.

To read the full article click here.

MARCH TO PROTEST ACTIVIST KILLING

Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, Swaziland National Association of Teachers, the Swaziland Federation of Labour and supporters will march to the office of the Prime Minister on Friday (14 May 2010) to deliver a petition to protest at the death in jail of democracy activist Sipho Jele.

The march will follow a post-mortem on the body of Jele that is expected to take place tomorrow (12 May 2010).

The family of Jele say that they will have their own pathologist at the post-mortem who will work alongside a pathologist appointed by the Swazi Government.

Jele died in jail – the Swazi police claim he was committed suicide by hanging himself with a blanket – after being arrested for wearing a PUDEMO T-shirt at a Workers’ Day celebration.