COSATU condemns shooting of civil servants

Eight were shot by the police with rubber bullets and five were severely beaten up with batons.

They were among the 500 members of the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), which wants government to implement a cost of living adjustment of 4.5 per cent on their salaries.

Patrick Craven, COSATU’s Spokesperson, yesterday said this was brutality that had to be exposed. He added that COSATU would continue to support the ongoing action by the public sector unions in Swaziland.

"What we know for sure is that there are many ways of skinning a cat and where there’s a will, there’s a way.

"This was proved last week when masses continued with their protest action by marching to the Prime Minister’s office," he said.

He added that what would happen when the people of Swaziland took a stand against the regime was predictable.

"It therefore was not surprising that some people would be placed under house arrest, arrested, brutally beaten, shot and blocked from reaching their destination and assembly points," he said.

Craven assured that COSATU would continue, through the Swaziland Democracy Campaign, to popularise the struggle of Swazi people and would not stop until their goals were achieved.

COSATU is an amalgamation of different trade unions in South Africa and has thousands of members. It was formed in 1985.

The union has for the past years sympathised with local trade union movements on various issues and at times even got involved in local protest marches, albeit from the South African side of the border. A few years ago COSATU implemented a strategy of a blockade into the kingdom as a means to put pressure on government to adhere to local unions’ demands.

Comments

Mihlolo yetfu kenayi. YeCOSATU pls stop undermining SD. The only way to put people who are on strike back to oder is to beat them. Eveni lakho nisebentisani because mine ngibona ungatsi siyatifananela. This is SD not SA. Leave us in peace. Sidziniwe ngini. Kute lokuhle lenikubonako ngelive letfu nine.
July 13, 2012, 1:00 PM, Njabulo Matsebula (njabulomatsebula@ymail.com)

WHO IS COSATU BY THE WAY? WHAT HAVE THEY GOT TO DO WITH SWAZI ISSUES? THEY MUST TAKE CARE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS IN SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE POKING THEIR NOSES INTO OUR COUNTRY. YES, WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS, FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL BUT THESE PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED BY SWAZIS IN SWAZILAND AND NOT IN SOUTH AFRICA OR ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER.
July 13, 2012, 1:00 PM, Lobusika Dlamini

This is becoming a serious embarrassment, I suppose things had to deteriorate to such levels for other structures in the country to at least call the PM. And that I think is too little too late when people are already being shot at. COSATU's support I believe would be remembered when the ends are achieved, but I seem to like the maturity now demonstrated by this formation. The police brutality is fueling the conflict, I mean really when they have guns, what can unarmed civilians do to harm them unless provoked? Getting armed to the teeth is what promotes the militancy of the marchers. At what stage do international agencies get roped-in to assist in a crisis such as this one, where it is clear to all and sundry that leadership has failed and the thing is set to escalate to disastrous proportions?
July 13, 2012, 1:00 PM, Burns Dlamini (Lobhoncela) (Burnspolitics@gmail.com)

COSATU runs South Africa and now they also want Swaziland to be run by trade unions, "WoW" .18 years into democracy, apart from their political freedom South Africans are worse off.The levels of poverty and unemployment in that country have reached unparalleled levels, with more and more people doing manual labour, while the leaderless government is muddling through.if my fellow Swazis can wake up from their slumber and be cured from the disease i have termed "lack of leadership", they would start looking beyond multi-party government or the democratisation of Swaziland. a system of government can not be corrupt, only the person can be corrupt.
July 13, 2012, 1:00 PM, Christopher Sicelo Gama (livewire.gama@gamil.com)

Its true that the barbaric action for the police change minds for everyone.Ngisho nenyamatane uyishaya uyicabangele kutsi kufanele ife then ukhone kuyidla.At first what is the need of shootin and beating people who are not rude.Uma le-college bafundziswa loko kubuhlungu. Imagine a one month old baby inhaling teargas.Sikuphi nje sidzingo sekusebentisa i-teargas in a bus rank where there children and innocent people who are waiting for thier transports.Uphi Isaac Magagula nakwenteka so?
July 13, 2012, 1:00 PM, MBONGISENI (mbongisenimuzikhumalo@gmail.com)

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