RICHARD’S LEGACY SHOULD LIVE ON
This week we lost a leader, a visionary, a human rights defender, a social justice advocate, a shrewd shop steward, a forthright selfless representative of the peasantry, the marginalised working class and the middle class without any form of discrimination with only one objective to transform Eswatini to a democratic state that treats all its peoples with justice and equality for all who live in it.
He was determined to see a Kingdom that respects the rule of law, the fundamental human rights, and the doctrine of separation of powers, a country that would be without the cancerous and draconian laws by decree.
He was a leader who was bothered and concerned when widows and vending women across the country were maliciously beaten and their wares confiscated by both the city rangers and the police, simply denying them the opportunity of making an honest living for their extended families and orphans.
none availability of social grants
A leader that did not take kindly to none availability of social grants for the elderly of this country,
A leader who believed it was a right of the workers of this country to commemorate May Day,
A leader who believed working women in this country should enjoy paid maternity leave.
A leader who was a team player and believed in teamwork, a leader who respected everybody but feared no one, a leader who envisioned a Swaziland that was economic vibrant, a leader who believed in women liberation and respect for equal pay for work of equal value irrespective and that leader, and a visionary who untimely passed on last week and was put to his final resting place yesterday. This is none other than ‘My SFTU President’ Richard Nxumalo; may his soul rest in eternal peace.
l Richard was a jewel of the working class.
l Richard preferred the truth and not lies.
l Richard preferred justice and not injustice.
l Richard preferred Selflessness and not selfishness.
l Richard preferred Democracy and not dictatorship.
l Richard preferred social justice and not oppression.
l Richard preferred social dialogue and not one-way monologues.
l Richard preferred collective bargaining and not collective begging
l Richard believed in the coexistence of the Monarchy and the political parties.
l Richard believed in the coexistence of modernity and tradition.
I was privileged to be his Secretary General at the entire epoch that we remained entrusted and mandated by workers of this country to serve them fearlessly but with respect and humility.
His team leadership style which resonated from branch to national level in all affiliates was so magnetic and a unifying force for all workers such that solidarity was not an effort, but a religion among all workers such that the slogan: “An injury to one, an injury to all” became the gospel among the Eswatini workforce.
Life is interesting but funny at the same time. I say this because for all the good things we wished and advocated for the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini, we were regarded the pivotal enemies of the State, but the good thing about Richard and his organisation - the SFTU, they did not succumb to frequent regular and malicious arrests and police brutality.
calling for a
better Eswatini
Together, we smiled and shared jokes while being loaded in speedy police vans and even in prison cells because we knew we were calling for a better Eswatini and social justice to her people. I remember on January 22, 1996 when we were shoved into a police van just after winning a case where government failed to get a court interdict to stop the famous ‘Khukhulela Ngoco’ strike. This was the same day when police defused a demonstration at KaKhoza, where they shot at a 16- year-old girl - Noxolo Mdluli who died on the spot.
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