POLICE CHIEF ISSUES ORDER TO STOP VIOLENT STRIKE

MBABANE – Like a half smoked cigarette, police have ‘stubbed out’ the TUCOSWA protest.
TUCOSWA is an acronym for the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland.

National Commissioner of Police Isaac Magagula issued a statement prohibiting the TUCOSWA protest action which started on Tuesday night and was scheduled to end today.

However, despite the prohibition, workers continued to demonstrate in Manzini yesterday.
Magagula listed eight reasons for prohibiting the protest action and stated that he did this through powers vested in him by Section 9(2) of the Public Order Act 12/2017.

The reasons cited by the NatCom are mostly violence-related and include the alleged pelting with stones of a police officer, who was mistaken for Manzini Station Commander Senior Superintendent Sikheshekheshe Maseko. According to Magagula, the pelted police officer was on duty next to the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters.

He also cited the alleged assault of a police photographer by a group of demonstrators which he described as rowdy. He narrated that the demonstrators allegedly forcefully took away a video camera from the police officer and said this was much against the Code of Good Practice. Magagula lamented on the alleged smashing of windows of a public transport vehicle with stones, which was en-route to the Manzini Bus Rank as well as a motor vehicle parked near the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters.

Violence

 Elaborating on the latter incident, Magagula alleged that the vehicle was stoned by demonstrators who were exhibiting an inclination to violence much against repeated appeals for calm by police officers that were defied.

Magagula stated that due to the eight reasons, the police found it appropriate to invoke the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Public Order Act 12/2017. He said they invoked this law on the strength of being the custodians of peace, order, safety and security in the country.

He termed the incidents of violence which characterised Tuesday’s protest action as blatant violations of the rights and freedoms of citizens who were not party to the protest action.

“In line with this legislation, we advise that the protest action by TUCOSWA and its affiliates is forthwith prohibited from continuing due to scenes of violence referred to above,” Magagula said.

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