PRESS STATEMENT, 30 MAY 2012 - SDP REJECTS UNDER-HANDED TACTICS OF THE MSWATI III REGIME

PRESS STATEMENT, 30 MAY 2012 - SDP REJECTS UNDER-HANDED TACTICS OF THE MSWATI III REGIME

The Swaziland government and the Monarch continue to behave as though they are beyond reproach in this new move to form a government-aligned Trade Union, yet they de-registered TUCOSWA, the Trade Union Federation formed and massively supported by the workers in Swaziland. Government has been outright with its endorsement of this new Union.

The Swaziland Diaspora Platform (SDP) is in disbelief at the fact that government was attempting to ensure their puppet "trade union" attend the tripirtate ILO conference currently in session in Geneva.

Reports emanating from Swaziland are that the new "trade union," styling itself under the banner Swaziland Workers Economic Empowerment Union, is supposedly cross-cutting in its scope and it is not clear which sector it organises. Its leadership includes, amongst others, well known traitors of the Swazi struggle and former Mbabane Councilor Jabulani Nxumalo.

It must be stated from the onset that the SDP is not against the formation of any organisation to pursue worker's interested or political interests but what is worrying about this "trade union" is the speed at which it has been registered by the same government that de-registered TUCOSWA only a few months ago as well as its ambitious attempts to represent workers at the Geneva conference despite that they are a mere union and not a federation. 

The formation of this new union reminds us of the Workers Union of SA (WUSA), an Inkatha alligned federation with overt apartheid backing to counter the emergence of COSATU in 1985. This led to mass killings of COSATU members in KZN.WUSA did well to infiltrate and divide the liberation movement and helped to keep blacks squabbling amongst themselves while the apartheid regime remained strong.

We are alive to these tactics.

Given the faces already associated with this union as well its open support for and from government we are correct to be worried about its intentions.

It has been reliably gathered that TUCOSWA leaders were this weekend informed that this new union had sent a letter to ILO requesting recognition to attend the conference in Geneva. Their email was copied to Inviolata Chinyangarara based at the ILO office in  Pretoria. Their request was, as expected, turned down.

We request all democracy activists to be on the look out for such mushrooming formations which may take our eyes off the ball. We need to exercise more caution and vigilance as the regime engages in desperate measures to gain legitimacy. This is common with all dying regimes.We remain unshaken in our support for TUCOSWA as the credible and reliable workers representative and continue to call for its registration. 

ISSUED BY:

THE SWAZILAND DIASPORA PLATFORM