Swazi Observer

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COPS THIRSTY FOR BLOOD - TUCOSWA

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi | 2019-10-24

Royal Eswatini Police Service officers have been accused of going to a peaceful protest with an intention of causing havoc.

This is because, according to unions police officers were singing war songs saying they would kill anything they came across during a planned mass meeting for teachers which was to take place on 19 September 2018.

The police it is alleged, were chanting the threats while aboard trucks ferrying them around Manzini town. Some of the songs sung by the police officers included ‘siyobulala inja’.

This was submitted by unions yesterday to the investigating committee commissioned by government to investigate whether police infringed on the freedom of association for unions during the period of August to October 2018.

Making submissions yesterday was Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) Secretary General Mduduzi Gina.

The secretary general informed the Committee led by Principal Magistrate David Khumalo how the police did the unthinkable when they cornered workers at SNAT Centre where they had sought refuge. Gina said the conduct by the police interfered with the right of TUCOSWA to organise its activities and to formulate its programmes as guaranteed by Article 3 of Convention 87 of the International Labour Organisation.

The secretary general said to enforce their banning of the protest action, the police attacked workers who were assembled at the SNAT Centre on 19 September.

Gina informed the investigating committee that the workers had gone were to be addressed by TUCOSWA on the fate of the protest action as well as to seek refuge from the police who had dispersed them in the city and who were by then singing war songs in trucks. Gina explained that the police, without any provocation by the workers who were gathered at SNAT Centre, started throwing teargas canisters, contaminated water through canons and rubber bullets.

Injured

Gina said workers started running in all directions within the centre and many of them were jumping through openings in the fence. It is said one Nkosinathi Lukhele was shot at by a stun grenade and was injured on the leg.

Gina said while Lukhele was being attended to, he was arrested and accused of assaulting a police officer.

However, Gina said Lukhele was later released. The secretary said he was cautioned to prepare to appear before court to answer on the allegations against him but up until today he has never been called.

Gina maintained his stand that as unions they believed that the prohibition of the protest action by the national commissioner of police violated Article 3(1) and (2) of the Convention. He said it further violated the Public Order Act, 2017. He pointed out that this is because the NatCom unilaterally took a decision to prohibit the protest action without first calling the convener meeting.

During TUCOSWA’s submissions, Gina made it clear that they are focusing on actions taken by the police which in their view were unjustified and were a violation of National Laws and accepted International Freedom of Association Standards.

Yesterday, a number of witnesses were paraded by TUCOSWA before the investigating committee where they gave their side of the story on what transpired during the said dates between August and October 2018. Among the witnesses was SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini who informed the committee how he was detained for merely being in town as he was told that he was not supposed to be seen there as he was more like a magnet attracting other workers.

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