CPS Media Statement

CPS calls for release of activists and international action against Mswati

26 April 2013

In recent days the Swazi autocratic regime has clamped down on its pro-democracy opponents, especially those calling for a boycott of Mswati III’s rubber-stamp “elections”, due to be held later this year.

Those arrested include SWAYOCO Secretary General Maxwell Dlamini, and SWAYOCO International Affairs Secretary Sonkhe Dube; PUDEMO National Organiser and trade union leader Wonder Mkhonza, and members of Communist Party of Swaziland Central Committee Mfanawenkhosi Mtshali and Derrick Nkhambule.

The main charge against the activists is sedition, indicating that Mswati views opposition to his elections as treason.

Also, the editor of The Nation magazine, Bheki Makhubu, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment or R400 000 fine for criticizing chief justice in his publication.

The Nation is the only news publication in Swaziland that routinely dares to expose the corruption and venality of the feudal Tinkhundla government and royal mafia.

Responding to news of the arrests and the sentencing of Makhubu, CPS general secretary Kenneth Kunene said: “The regime is desperate to make its elections appear respectable, fair and free so as to appease the international community. But in reality they are the very opposite of freedom or fairness.”

Under the 2005 Constitution, hailed as the Commonwealth as progressive, no political parties are allowed to run for office or campaign on a political platform. The stipulations of the 1973 decree that instituted direct royal rule against the existence of political parties essentially remain in force.

“The Mswati dictatorship is also clamping down more widely on opposition at this time,” says Kunene. “Increasingly, we are seeing shows of force by the police and army, designed to intimidate anyone contemplating resisting the regime.”

The CPS has called for the immediate release of all political detainees and prisoners. The party’s Break the Chains campaign is joining this call with the demand for the safe return of exiles and the unbanning of political parties.

“We call on the international community, particularly SADC, the AU, EU and UN to take a resolute stand on the crimes of the Mswati regime and to demand an end to the dictatorship,” said Kunene.

CPS PRESS SERVICES

Contacts for details: +27 74 922 8277 or +277 25943971

COSATU Nkomazi local on the swazi arrests

COSATU
CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE UNIONS
NKOMAZI LOCAL 
NKOMAZI LOCAL

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
E-Mail: kabenzor.churky@gmail.com

Cell: 083 66 28 091

Fax: 0866981623

Tel: 013 780 3132

Nkomazi COSATU Local Statement on brutality meted against political activists in Swaziland
23 April 2013

The COSATU Local in Nkomazi is deeply disgusted and saddened by the manner in which the daily life of Swazis continues to be brutalised and bastardised by the intransigent Tinkundla regime. We have learned with shock how two and possibly several other activists were arrested at a SWAYOCO election Rally meant to oppose the sham August 2013 ‘elections’ in Swaziland. CdeMfanawnkosi ‘Boer’ Mntshaliand Cde Derrick Nkambule both from the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) were arrested on the 19 April 2013 in Msunduza, Mbabane in Swaziland. The comrades who are members of the Communist Party of Swaziland and hold responsibility there are being tortured in secrecy in Mbabane. We are making a clarion call that South Africa and Nkomazi cannot continue being a pseudo Ireland in the Sea of barbarism, hatred, greed, and brutality by the monarchy meted on the peoples the peoples of Swaziland. We have seen how despite this brutal instrument being used, apartheid regime was dislodged and this regime too shall be dislodged.

It is far disturbing to learn that special reserve stations had been erected to torture, maim, silence, and instil fear in the broader progressive movement and peace loving peoples of Swaziland. Indeed the regime is swallowing its own children with its zest for greed and hunger to cling to power in the sea of frustration by the majority.

Those arrested have not been given full rights as enshrined in universal laws of natural justice that of innocence until proven otherwise, right to have access to a legal representative and speedily appear before a court of law within 48 hours. We call for the immediate release of all arrested comrades at the Rally. The Swazi Royal police and other security forces elevate its barbarism over genuine calls by swazi people for boycotting sham elections, unbanning of political parties, unconditional release of all political prisoners, return of political exiles and call for interim government of the people.

COSATU in Nkomazi will continue to work internally for the total isolation of economic relations with the regime and fight side by side with progressive forces such as Communist Party of Swaziland, PUDEMO, SWAYOCO, and Trade union movement for the total liberation of the peoples of Swaziland. We call all forces within South Africa and at international level to unite in action denouncing this regime. The peoples of Swaziland shall have the last word, that of victory!

Victoria accerta…aluta continua! ‘Freedom is coming’!

Issued by:
CdeKabelo Ben Monepya
COSATU Local Secretary
0836628091""

UPDATES ON SWAZI ARRESTS

CPS CAMPAIGNS OFFICE

UPDATES ON THE ARBITRARY ARREST OF SWAZI LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS
Friends and comrades, the swazi regime has  engaged itself on a serious campaign to arrest and torture leaders and activist inside the country.
The recent updates on these arrests are that 
Yesterday the 22nd of April comrades Mfanawenkhosi Boer Mtshali and Derrick Nkambule were supposed to make their first court appearance in the Mbabane magistrate court , lawyers and comrades were waiting for them there until sunset , only to learn later that the two were secretly remanded back to custody until the 29th of April 2013,. They have been slapped with a Sedition charge , and they remain without bail pending an application at the High Court of Swaziland . The secrete appearance before the magistrate court, and the denial to see them at Sidvwashini prison would only mean one thing , and that , the comrades might have visible injuries after they were tortured over the weekend. 
This morning again the Swazi police raided the residential places of two SWAYOCO leaders and arrested them , these are the SWAYOCO Secretary general comrade Maxwell Dlamini and the National Organizing Secretary. Currently they are in the hand s of police who are capable of anything with regards to their lives. 
This week we also look forward to the bail application of the National Organizing Secretary and union leader Comrade Wonder Mkhonza who was charged with SEDITION by the Swazi regime .
There are many more comrades who have noticed strange surveillance cars around their homes. The uncertainty is growing each minute on every Swazi activist on these arrest attempt to silence the tinkhundla resistance . 
We call upon all progressive forces across the globe to condemn this barbaric act of the unpopular regime , demand their governments to cut ties with the mswati regime, and demand that all political prisoners must be released unconditionallyand allow political formation to participate freely .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
The head of Campaigns in the CPS
Goodwill du-Pont 
Cell -+_27794724508
Email-goodwilldpnt@gmail.com

SADTU DEMANDS THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF POLITICAL DETAINEES

SADTU demands release of CPS comrades arrested in Swaziland

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) notes the reported arrest and torture of two members of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) following a SWAYOCO (Swaziland Youth Congress) Rally on Friday, 19 April 2013, at Msunduza, in the capital Mbabane, Swaziland.

These two comrades have not been charged with any offence, although the statutory 48 hours limit has passed within which they are supposed to have been charged, or released. The comrades have been interrogated at the Police Head Quarters in Mbabane, where the Communist Party of Swaziland believes they have been tortured there by the Swaziland Special Force political police who captured them.

The two comrades are:

Comrades Mfanawenkhosi ‘BOER’ Mntshali, a long-time member of PUDEMO and SWAYOCO, currently a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS)

Comrade Derrick Nkambule, also a member of PUDEMO, currently serving as the Campaigns Officer in the Peasant Commission on the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS)

SADTU demands the release of these two men at once. SADTU hopes that if they are not promptly released, then strong concerted protest action by South African masses and their organisations, including by our sister affiliates of COSATU, co-ordinated by our federation, will follow.

Issued by: SADTU Secretariat

Contact: Mugwena Maluleke, General Secretary, 082 783 2968 Nkosana Dolopi, Deputy General Secretary, 082 709 5651 Nomusa Cembi, Media Officer.

Breaking news

CPS CAMPAIGNS OFFICE
BREAKING NEWS  ON THE ARRESTED COMRADES 

Dear friend and comrades, as it was reported yesterday that after the April 19 SWAYOCO RALLY , two comrades were captured by the mswati’s special force police squad , which is infamous of torturing , harassing and killing suspects and in particular political activist. 
Information is coming in that the two comrades are undergoing an intensified torture session at the Police Head Quarters in Mbabane , this is a violation of the normal procedure recognized internationally that when a suspect is apprehended he /she is kept in a police station and charged within 48 working hours , instead of that the comrades are hosted in the headquarters, this headquarters are not normal offices but they also consist of “special interrogation chambers” which are well equipped for torturing suspects.
The police have made it a point that the two comrades are excluded and isolated , as it stands no one is allowed access these comrades , even lawyers have tried to see them without success .Their lives are not safe with these blood thirsty agents. We therefore urge all peace loving groups and individuals to make a call to release all the political prisoners in Swaziland. Put pressure to mswati to unban all political formations, and allow all exiles to return .

The two comrades are 
1. Comrades Mfanawenkhosi ‘BOER’ Mntshali - a long time serving member of PUDEMO and SWAYOCO. He is currently serving on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) , and he is one of the 2005/6 treason trialist .
2. Comrade Derrick Nkambule – who is also a member of PUDEMO , and serving as the Campaign’s officer in the Peasant commission in the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS)

And the rest are 
1. AMOS MESSIAH MBEDZI ( sentenced to 85 years)
2. Bheki Dlamini ( SAYOCO PRESIDENT , denied bail , awaiting trial since 2010)
3. Zonke Dlamini (PUDEMO leader, co-charged with the YL president)
4. Musa Ngubeni ( swayoco member , denied trial since 2011, costly and heavy bail conditions)
5. Maxwell Dlamini ( SWAYOCO Secretary General, denied trial with unfair bail conditions )
6. Roland Rudd (PUDEMO activist , denied bail and trial )
7. Kelvin Dlamini ( student leader , awaiting trial)
8. Besel Thwala (Union leader , sentenced , pending appeal hearing)
9. Wonder Mkhonza ( Union leader , and National Organizing Secretary of PUDEMO)

BREAK THE CHAINS –UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS,UNBAN ALL POITICAL PARTIES , SAFE RETURN OF ALL EXILES 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
The head of Campaigns in the CPS
Goodwill du-Pont 
Cell -+_27794724508
Email-goodwilldpnt@gmail.com

Or 
The Chairperson of the Break the Chains Campaign
DR TS FARISANI
Cell-+27823371539
Email-tfarisani@gmail.com

More political arrests

BREAK THE CHAINS of Swaziland’s political prisoners!

Since the beginning of this month Swaziland was a show of political activism and on the other hand political suppression and brutality dished out to peace loving activist fighting for human justice and rights. The call to unban all political parties, release of all political prisoners and that of allowing the safe return of all exiles made by pro-democracy formation inside and outside Swaziland has been used by the state as a reason to add more political prisoners , causalities of police and army torture and insecurity amongst the broad pro- democracy movement.

The April 12 arrest

This year on the 12 th April marked 40 years of the state of emergency administered by the tinkhundla royal regime. A couple of event were planned to take place during these days inside and outside Swaziland to highlight and demand the recalling of this unnecessary, undemocratic and muddled state of affairs, unfortunately in Swaziland this was met with violence and suppressions. Comrade Wonder Mkhonza who is the Secretary of the Swaziland Processing and Allied Workers Union (SPRAWU) and also the National Organising Secretary of PUDEMO was arrested while crossing the Lavumisa border to Swaziland , he was later charged with Sedition . in the next coming week he would be making his bail application in the High court of Swaziland with slim chances of attaining it though.

19 April

Mswati has through the powers vested upon him by the 1973 decree used his birthday to celebrate big with coffers collected from the struggling working class of Swaziland, this year alone he blew up more than R33 million on this stunt, again prodemocracy organs issued statements and organised themselves on a public rally hosted by the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) the youth league of PUDEMO, which was met by maximum force from the army and police special units. More than 5 activists were hospitalised while an unconfirmed number of activist have ‘disappeared’ after the violent confrontation. On the same note two activist were arrested 1. Comrades Mfanawenkhosi ‘BOER’ Mntshali - a long time serving member of PUDEMO and SWAYOCO. He is currently serving on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) , and he is one of the 2005/6 treason trialist . 2. Comrade Derrick Nkambule – who is also a member of PUDEMO , and serving as the Campaign’s officer in the Peasant commission in the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) Currently these two comrades are locked up at the Mbabane Police Station and denied any legal representation or general visit even by family members , they have not been formally charged as of now and we presume their court appearance shall be on Monday the 22 nd of April 2013.

We call upon all democracy loving citizens of the earth to rally behind and add a voice to our call as the people of Swaziland that all political prisoners should be unconditionally released, unban all political parties and the safe return of all exiles in Swaziland .

MSWATI RELEASE

1. AMOS MBEDZI 2. BHEKI DLAMINI 3. ZONKE DLAMINI 4. MAXWELL DLAMINI 5. MUSA NGUBENI 6. ROLAND RUDD 7. BEZEL THWALA 8. WONDER MKHONZA 9. MFANAWENKHOSI BOER MNTSHALI 10. DERRIC NKAMBULE

BREAK THE CHAINS –UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS,UNBAN ALL POITICAL PARTIES , SAFE RETURN OF ALL EXILES

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT The head of Campaigns in the CPS Goodwill du-Pont Cell -+_27794724508 Email-goodwilldpnt@gmail.com

Or The Chairperson of the Break the Chains Campaign DR TS FARISANI Cell-+27823371539 Email-tfarisani@gmail.com