SUDF STATEMENT ON CONTINUED POLICE BRUTALITY ON PROTESTING WORKERS

Released: 18/09/2018

The Swaziland United Democratic Front yet again condemns the act of King Mswati’s police service for its relentless act of brutality against protesting workers in Swaziland. Today in regional protests actions organised by TUCOSWA, the Eswatini Police fiercely harassed workers who were protesting in Manzini town and injured 6 of them in the process. The workers had to run helter-skelter for safety after it became clear that the police were unleashing terror. This is despite that the protest was protected under section 40 of the Industrial Relations Act. All of the 6 workers sustained serious injuries and some are still undergoing treatment at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital. 

Government is failing the test on the Public Order Act

We are still fresh from another unjustified brutal scene where gun wielding police officers harassed, shot and injured teachers at their night vigil held at the union’s headquarter a month ago. The attacks on TUCOSWA’s 30 June march held on Mbabane where again the police injured workers is not forgotten. These series of occurrences proves a dismal failure of the government to heed to the new Public Order Act. The front condemns this act with the highest discontent and urges TUCOSWA leadership to take these matters up to the International Labour Organisation. 

The brutality is simply a defence of royal luxury 

This rogue measures by the police are simply desperate means of defending King Mswati’s passionate love for luxury. The call for Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is a timeous one given the current developments in our economy; inflation and the newly effected changes in sales tax together substantiate this call and therefore the welfare of workers cannot be subordinated to expenditures that satisfy royal appetite for luxury.

All workers to the battlefront 

SUDF salute the workers who joined the protests across the four major cities in the country and wishes the injured comrades a quick recovery. We also urge our affiliates to join the workers in their legitimate call for fair and just distribution of resources. The next two days must be made a historical moment.

Issued by: Brian Sangweni

(SUDF Secretary General)