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Patrick Craven  
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 More options Feb 6, 8:57 am
From: "Patrick Craven" <patr...@cosatu.org.za>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 15:57:08 +0200
Local: Mon, Feb 6 2012 8:57 am
Subject: COSATU Today, 6 February 2012

COSATU Today

                                  Our side of the story

Monday 6 February 2012

Contents

Workers <>

Ø  COSATU N Cape Provincial Shop Stewards Council

Ø  COSATU NW to hold its first PSSC for 2012

Ø  Cosatu Gauteng’s Provincial Shop Stewards Council

Ø  Workers’ struggles at Impala Mines and Gautrain buses

Ø  COSATU NW condemns rape at Potch hospital

Ø  Invitation to WFTU Shop Stewar​ds Council

South Africa <>

Ø  SADTU welcomes sentencing of four men who killed Zoliswa Nkonyana

Ø  Zoliswa Nkonyana, a courageous and popular lesbian

Ø  COSATU NW on a trial within a trial in Eugene’s case

Ø  Rondebosch Common: Memorandum to the City of Cape Town

Ø  To the Mayor of Cape Town

Ø  National disciplinary committee of appeal welcomed

Ø  ANC’S NDCA’s ruling

Ø  SACP Gauteng welcomes launch of provincial service delivery hotline

International <>

Ø  Support for SA journalist dismissed by Al Jazeera, deported by Qatar due to HIV status

Ø  Student activists finally bailed out

Workers

cosatu RED logoCOSATU N Cape Provincial Shop Stewards Council

Anele Gxoyiya, COSATU N Cape Provincial Secretary, 5 February 2012

COSATU in the Northern Cape held our first Provincial Shop Steward Council on Saturday 4 February 2011 at the West End Indoor Sports Centre in Kimberley. The council was attended by 316 shop stewards representing the different affiliates from across the province.

The council was addressed by the provincial chairpersons of SANCO and the SACP as well as the deputy provincial secretary of the ANC. The keynote address was delivered by the 2nd deputy president of COSATU, Cde Zingiswa Losi.

In that council we discussed a range of issues varying from political, organisational and socio-economic issues with special focus on the campaigns that we will be embarking on starting from 7 March 2011. The following issues were resolved upon by the shop steward council:

·         The functionality of the alliance should find expression at all levels in the form of a common programme of action. It should not be a cosmetic relationship signified by appearance in public events

·          We call on the ANC to encourage those ANC members, especially leaders who are workers and are members of the independent unions, to join COSATU affiliated unions and participate in the structures of the federation

·         Corruption is the cancer that kills the moral fibre of the society and must be fought at all levels with all our might. We welcome the recent launch of the Corruption Watch and we hail it as a step in the right direction for the federation

·         Our fight against corruption is a principled one and will never be guided by our love or hate for individuals

·         We will intensify the activism of our locals and ensure that they are at the centre of all working class struggles

·         We will mobilize all workers to take keen interest in the education of the African children and ensure that they participate actively in the forthcoming elections of school governing bodies for them to be involved in the education of their children as part of tour implementation of the Basic Education Accord

·         As part of our campaign we will lobby the Northern Cape Department of Basic Education for the reopening of school hostels in the areas where most children are not staying with their parents in order for them to get proper supervision

·         We will mobilize all alliance partners against the evils of extremely high electricity prices as we intend taking the war to the municipalities that are overcharging our people for electricity

·         COSATU in the Northern Cape is ready to engage on the mass action on 7 March 2012 when we take to the streets in a battle against the economy that serves the interests of a few at the expense of the working class

·         We will continue to wage a war against labour brokers as they do not contribute anything to the creation of decent jobs

·         We are not impressed by the suspension of the e-tolling in Gauteng but we will continue to call for that project to be abandoned as it will push the working class deeper into poverty

·         Outsourcing and privatization are the breeding ground for corruption and they continue to push our provincial government deeper into poverty

·         We make a call to the Premier of the province to provide visionary leadership in the province and steer our province into the right direction

·         The unity of the federation is sacrosanct and we will do everything in our power to protect our unity. We condemn any attempts that seek to divide us from anonymous people who make false accusations against our leadership in the media. Democracy in COSATU is a reality and anyone is free to voice their in the structures of the federation at all times

·         We reaffirm our decision that we will not be part of those who seek to put undue pressure on the courts of law when they exercise their duties. We respect the rule of law and we will not be forced into campaigning for or against any individual who is facing criminal charges irrespective of their standing in the society

The shop stewards of COSATU emerged highly energised and ready to engage the white monopoly capital in the streets as they remain intransigent in the board room. We call on all the workers who are members of the COSATU affiliated unions to take to the streets on 7 March 2011 and wage a war against the erosion of our gains.

cosatu RED logoCOSATU NW to hold its first PSSC for 2012

Solly  Phetoe COSATU North West Provincial Secretary, 6 February 2012

COSATU in the North West will hold its first provincial shop steward council for 2012, as follows:

Ø  Date : Wednesday 8 February 2012

Ø  Venue: Klerksdorp Auditorium

Ø  Time: 09H00  

The council is brought forward to early in 2012 to prepare among others for the following campaigns:

1.    The living wage campaign

2.    Growth path for full employment

3.    Fighting for the banning of labour brokers

4.    Development built on environmental sustainability

5.    Fight against Walmart

6.    Public sector ethos

7.    Safe reliable and affordable public transport system

8.    Threat of acidic water in Gauteng

9.    High electricity price

10. Corruption, on which the North West to lead with demand for :

·         The release of the SIU report on corruption and the forensic investigation reports.

·         A report on the investigation of the 16 national departments.

·         A report on the murder and brutal attacks of the comrades i.e. North west, that is the case of Moss Phakoe progress report and the many other cases of workers who are attacked for exposing corruption.

·         Lifestyle audits.

·         The regulation of the tender process.

·         Ensuring that there is whistle blower protection.

·         Better housing standards.

·         Protect the public protector.

·         Publicise the black-listed companies.

11. Anti privatisation

12. ANC centenary

At the height of these campaigns is the COSATU planned national strike against labour brokers which will take place on 7 March 2012 where we expect all workers of this country and the province to come out in numbers to fight for the creation of decent jobs.

The council will do an assessment on the political situation in the North West province and will receive a progress report on corruption in the province.

The council will also look at the state of service delivery in the municipalities and the state of the province. It will also deal with racism, the report by the SIU and former minister of local government that was done in all the municipalities of the NW in 2009.

This council will also celebrate the centenary of the ANC, our beloved movement.

The council will adopt a programme of action as a build up to the national strike and a program of COSATU for 2012.

The council is expected to be attended by more than 1500 shop stewards from all affiliates in the province.

cosatu RED logoCosatu Gauteng’s Provincial Shop Stewards Council

Dumisani Dakile, COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, 6 February 2012

Date            : 07 February 2012

Time           : 10h00

Venue          : Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto

The Council will be attended by more than 2000 shop stewards from all the affiliates of the federation and it will also be addressed by COSATU General Secretary Cde Zwelinzima Vavi as the main speaker including Alliance Partners. The council will also be addressed by an international guest from Venezuela.

The Council will be dealing with number of issues and key among them will be as follows.

-          Planning for the National Strike against Labour Brokers and Toll-Gates.

-          Preparation for the election of the School Governing Bodies.

-          Report from the Cosatu Central Executive Committee.

SACP logo

Workers’ struggles at Impala Mines and Gautrain buses

 Malesela Maleka, SACP Spokesperson, 5 February 2012

The SACP is deeply offended by the actions of the employers both at Gautrain buses  and at the Impala mines where workers are being treated like cheap commodities that can be dismissed willy-nilly by the greedy capitalists. We find this newly found arrogance of the bosses disgusting and a flagrant disregard of the laws of our country in some instances. The SACP expresses its fully solidarity with these legitimate struggles of the workers.

The SACP strongly condemns manouvres by the Impala bosses in actively colluding to undermine a duly recognised union and seek to sow divisions within the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). The union bashing tactics adopted at the mine, and the threat of dismissal of about 17 000 workers, are reminiscent of apartheid era tactics to bash unions and fuel tribal wars especially in the mines. The SACP will work with the NUM in providing the requisite support and political clarity to the workers to properly comprehend the manoeuvres of the bosses.

The situation of the workers at Gautrain buses is even more outrageous. The threat of mass dismissals of workers who are raising legitimate issues about their working conditions is nothing but a brazen assault on workers’ rights and their dignity. It is our considered view that the employer in this case is taking advantage of the fact that the workers are not unionised. The SACP will work with its ally COSATU to immediately pay attention to the unionisation of these workers.

The SACP calls upon the bosses in both instances to genuinely engage with the workers and their representatives so that an urgent solution is found to these disputes. The SACP is deeply concerned that defeat of the workers in these instances may open floodgates in employer arrogance and determination to roll back workers rights gained over decades of struggles and sacrifices. This in itself constitutes a grave threat to the strength, growth and unity of the progressive labour movement in our country.

What we find even more disturbing is the silence of the BEE partners both at Gautrain buses and at Impala. Surely it cannot be that BEE is about the enrichment of a few at the expense of the working class and its rights and job security. The SACP has argued for quite a considerable period of time now that whilst it is indeed true that capital in our country remains predominantly white, black capital does not behave any differently. Black or white, capital seeks enrichment from the blood of workers and must therefore be strongly defended irrespective of the colour of the owners.

It is for this reason that, amongst others, the SACP 2012 annual programme of action focuses on the issue of building a solidarity economy so that we can move away from this 'dog eat dog' mentality of our country. It is also clear to us that the more capitalism sinks into a crisis the greedier and ruthless it becomes, and seeks to offload the burden of its own crisis onto the working class.

cosatu RED logo

COSATU NW condemns rape at Potch hospital

Solly Phetoe COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 3 February 2012

COSATU in the North West has condemned the incident of rape at the Potchefstroom hospital which took place in December 2011.

COSATU has learned that a 20-year-old patient who was admitted in a psychiatric ward was raped by a male nurse at the said hospital.

As COSATU we know that Potchefstroom hospital is not a psychiatric hospital but we are surprised to learn that there are psychiatric wards in that hospital. We also believe that patients with mental disease should be treated as per the Mental Health Act and be admitted to a psychiatric hospital, not any other hospital.

COSATU, in its last Central Committee, called on its members in the public service to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner at all times and we believe that this nurse is not a member of a COSATU union. If he is a member of a COSATU union, and is guilty of the offence, we call on that union to dismiss this member immediately and not to represent him in the hearing.

COSATU calls on the Department of Health to dismiss this nurse as he is a threat to the society and for the nursing council to deregister him.

We cannot allow this kind of person to practise in our hospitals any more.

Invitation to WFTU Shop Stewar​ds Council

Sizwe Pamla, NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer, 6 February 2012

South Africa

 <http://www.sadtu.org.za/%5d> SADTU Logo

SADTU welcomes sentencing of four men who killed Zoliswa Nkonyana

Nomusa Cembi, SADTU Media Officer, 3 February 2012

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union welcomes the conviction and sentence of four men who stabbed and stoned to death a 19-year Nkonyana because of her sexual orientation in Gugulethu in 2006.

The 14 year sentence meted out on the four sends a strong message to those who practice, believe or support homophobia that it will not be tolerated by our legal system as well as the Constitution which outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation.   We hope this sentence will deter others from committing similar crimes.

In South Africa, women have a right to exist and enjoy full rights as a citizens irrespective of race, gender and their sexual orientation. Communities should not tolerate acts of violence, cruel punishment and inhumane degradation of women in their midst. We also hope that police, working together with communities, continue to pursue investigations of hate crimes as these often happen in full view of communities without them intervening and reporting these heinous incidents.

cid:image001....@01CCE4B5.1EAB7B70Zoliswa Nkonyana, a courageous and popular lesbian

Tahir Sema, SAMWU National Media & Publicity Officer 6 February 2012

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) would like to add its voice to sister unions and civil society, who have expressed relief at the conclusion of the trial of the murderers of Zoliswa Nkonyana, a courageous and popular lesbian who was killed by a group of at least 4 men in Gugulethu in 2006. The fact that it has taken more than five years to bring this case to court and convict four men for a most brutal and homophobic act does raise concerns about the importance given to such murders by the authorities.

Family members, comrades and friends of Zoliswa have endured five heart-breaking years of uncertainty, and only now can be expected to arrive at a point of closure, but not without a terrible price having been paid by them. SAMWU sends its heartfelt condolences to them all, and hopes that they will at least be comforted by the fact that justice eventually has been achieved in some form, though clearly nothing can entirely compensate for their terrible loss.

For the lesbian and gay community, this case has been hanging like a death threat over them. For many it appeared as if the murder of a member of the community was somehow less important, was dealt with less urgency than what should be expected of our law enforcement agencies.

We do however note that within the law enforcement agencies there is a growing awareness of the need to deal with instances of this type swiftly, and not least because communities under siege need to be reassured of their safety.

Since 2006 there have been several equally horrific acts of violence on members of the lesbian and gay community. Actions which have no place in a democracy, where its citizens are protected by a Constitution and where all forms of discrimination are supposed to be outlawed.

For this reason we urge all of civil society, and Government itself, to lend its support to strengthening the organisation of the lesbian and gay community, to raise the banner of equality for all of our citizens regardless of their sexual orientation, and to promote the view that an injury to one, is indeed an injury to all and will not be tolerated.

Homophobia divides, Solidarity Unites!

Samwu's main web site is at  <http://www.samwu.org.za/> http://www.samwu.org.za/

cosatu RED logoCOSATU NW on a trial within a trial in Eugene’s case

Solly Phetoe COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 3 February 2012

COSATU in the North west is concerned and worried about the trial within a trial that is continuing at the Ventersdorp court.

COSATU in 2010 questioned the credibility of the investigator who, at time of being assigned to the case, was on bail on assault charges.

It is the same investigator who failed to investigate that case of comrade Moss Phakoe and his docket was found with only one page in it, yet to our surprise he was promoted even after failing.

COSATU believe that the delay in this Terre’blanche trial could have been avoided if a well-trained investigator had been assigned to do the work. We said this in the beginning and nobody listened to us and now the case might be dismissed based on the incompetence of the police.

The police in the North West are writing statements which are self-contradictory and this leads to the statements being dismissed in court.

COSATU has observed that most of the farm workers’ cases were dismissed by the courts because of poor quality statements. It is now happening in the case of Eugene Terre’blanche.

COSATU calls on the police to put more effort in their work and to take their work seriously as the community rely on them to bring criminals to book.

Rondebosch Common: Memorandum to the City of Cape Town

4 February 2012

To the Mayor of Cape Town

We present this memorandum to you today born out of a deep love for our city and the desire to see it truly become a home for all our people. We come here today to reaffirm our support of the constitutional principle to gather and protest without fear from the authorities.

We believe that this City still lives with the deep seated legacy of the Apartheid and it is reflected in the divisions and neglect to so many communities of the Cape Flats, in comparison to those who live in the shadows of the mountains. We are united by our shared vision of a city that is more integrated between race groups and income levels, as we have a deep desire to encounter each other in a real manner, not as maid and Madam, but as neighbours in a shared community

With this as our key objective we are obviously deeply concerned about the response from the City and the statements by the Mayor in particular to the cries of our people. The right to protest and the desires and ambitions of working families cannot and should not be criminalised, as you had sought to do.

When people raise their legitimate concerns and aspirations it should spur us to more urgent action, instead of trying to shut them up and deny them the right to plea to the nation.

You are our Mayor and you fail us when you seek to shun any portion of our community. In that respect an injury to one is an injury to all, when the marginalisation of communities and the suppression of their voices are accompanied by brutal Police repression it scares the Capetonians and forces legitimate political activity underground, with all the resultant dangers thereof.

We have now seen this in Hang Berg and we have seen this in Rondebosch Common, this is becoming a trend of the leaders in the City and the Province, and a feature of the local leaders, who appear incapable of communicating with those who may differ from their views.

We believe the demands that have come from communities are absolutely legitimate and carry the support of all freedom loving Capetonians. We reaffirm the key areas here again today.

We believe the people of Cape Town need decent housing for all and this should be urgently attended to, as everyone has the right to raise a family in dignity We believe that more land should be rolled out and made available for affordable housing and this should be in all areas, including Constantia, otherwise the generational advantage and divisions of apartheid are taken into the future.

We believe the economy should be directed to create more urgent jobs for all the people who desperately need employment, so father can provide a meal for their children.

We believe the public transport should be improved as a matter of urgency, so we can travel safely and really connect different communities divided by apartheid.

We believe that all children deserve the same opportunities in life and as a result should be accorded the same resources in the schools; otherwise the generational advantages and disadvantages are taken into the future.

We believe that communities have a legitimate right to have gang and drug free communities and the police at all levels should be acting more effectively .

The City should in collaboration with other levels of Government be facilitating these areas of delivery to all our people.  This should however be a priority for the areas that have faced the greatest neglect under apartheid, on the Cape Flats, with all other areas following.

This means that you first address the Transport needs of the Atlantis and De noon communities before you do the people of Table view, because there need is more urgent and they have no alternatives to public transport. The budget of the City is the most important tool to roll out this service delivery, and we are really concerned when 20% of the budget is not spent and a billion rand is not spent for the urgent needs.

The administration is marginalising the voice of the poor and only considering the voice of the wealthy and powerful, as seen all over the city including in Chappies. We tell you today that we will not stand for it.

We have paid for our blood with this democracy, and have seen our people black and white make the ultimate sacrifice. We owe it to our children to never let undemocratic conduct thrive in our City.

We will call for peace and dialogue, we will protest for peace and dialogue, but don’t be mistaken, if need be we will fight for peace and dialogue, in the courts and on the streets.

We Capetonians united in our desire to build a home for all that reflects the unity of our diversity pledge to make this City truly work for all, and this gathering today is only the start of ensuring that the voices of our people are respectfully heard and the dreams of all our people are realised .

Signed on this day of the 4 February 2012 at Rondebosch Common

Mayor of Cape Town    ………………………………………………………………….

All other Organisations ……………………………………………………………………….

National disciplinary committee of appeal welcomed

Jackson Mthembu, ANC Spokesperson, 4 February 2012

The African National Congress (ANC) welcomes and respects the public pronouncement today, the 4th February 2012, made by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal (NDCA), arising out of the process regarding the appeal launched by the ANC members, including Cde Julius Malema, arising from the suction by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).

The NDCA process and outcome is again an example that the ANC is a firm, just and transparent organisation in dealing with matters before it - particularly matters of discipline.
The ANC will subject itself to the pronouncement of the NDCA.

Secondly, the ANC distance itself from comments attributed to Cde Keith Khoza, to the effect that Cde Julius Malema’s suspended sentence of 2010 will immediately kick-in after this NDCA appeals process.  Cde Keith has already apologised for speaking out of turn and without a mandate on a matter that resides with the NDC and other leading structures of the ANC.

The ANC Communications unit will not make any comment on the NDCA pronouncement and outcomes.  We advice the media and all South Africans to rely on the public pronouncement made by the NDCA Chairperson, Cde Cyril Ramaphosa.  We have posted all the relevant NDCA documents on the ANC

website.

YCLlogo20.jpg

ANC’S NDCA’s ruling

Ntsepeng Mookamedi, YCL Limpopo Provincial Organizing Secretary, 6 February 2012

The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] in the Province of Limpopo welcomes the ruling of the ANC’S NDC-A in the appeal application filed by Comrade Julius Malema and Four Others against the ANC which was delivered on the 04th February 2012.

While the YCLSA agrees unanimously with the NDCA’s ruling on the matter, the fact that the conviction and the sanction imposed by the NDC based on the “Barging Charge” was rescinded or set aside by the NDCA remains a serious and worrying political matter. The YCLSA without any purported intention of deviating from democratic centralism is concerned that the rescission on the barging charge will go a long way in creating a wrong political precedent system in future in dealing with similar offence (political misconduct/s).

The YCLSA is of the political conviction that the quashing of the said charge is not in consonant with Rule 4.15 of the ANC Constitution applied in its totality. The YCLSA find political solace that the NDCA is a final arbiter on all ANC appeal matters, and therefore it does not seek to initiate to challenge the ruling of the NDCA, but to support it.

As the American essayist and Poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson rightfully declared that “An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory”, the YCLSA believes that the ANC has moved beyond the practice of theorizing, but practicalising full implementation of both revolutionary and political discipline from the inception of the proceedings until their logical conclusion. This is quite commendable, to say the least. The NDCA’s ruling will surely go a long way in redeeming the image of the ANC on matters of discipline and to the broader society at large.

The NDCA must be commended on the good work well done, moreso on its Introductory Remarks from the outset of the Ruling, to the effect that “The ANC is a voluntary political Organization….”.The YCLSA hopes that the appellants may find political consolation from the words of the world’s most renowned icon, Comrade Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela who advised that “Difficulties break some men, but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that s/he will rise in the end”.

SACP logo

SACP Gauteng welcomes launch of provincial service delivery hotline

Pat Nsobi, SACP Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson, 3 February 2012

The SACP Gauteng Province welcomes the launch of the service delivery hotline by the Premier of Gauteng, Cde Nomvula Mokonyane yesterday in Soweto, Pimville.

We see this as a tool that would create a platform for the community to directly interact with government to intervene as and when they experience service delivery challenges. The hotline will definitely make an impact amongst working class communities as long as it is not highly “bureaucratised” and manned by people who are clueless about the needs of the people on the ground.

We will be interacting closely with working class communities on this initiative to ensure that people get feedback. We hope that government will make meaningful interventions especially in the health, education and local government as the system is inundated with service delivery queries.

International

 <http://www.ituc-csi.org/> Logo ITUC <http://www.section27.org.za/> SECTION27Support for SA journalist dismissed by Al Jazeera, deported by Qatar due to HIV status

 Mark Heywood, Section 27, 5 February 2012

SECTION27 plans a solidarity picket of Al Jazeera on 14 February 2012 to call for reinstatement of the journalist

SECTION27 welcomes the intervention of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to demand that Al Jazeera reemploy MR in the position of Managing Editor with retroactive effect.  MR is a South African journalist who was dismissed by Al Jazeeera, detained in Doha State Prison and then deported from Qatar in January 2011 because of his HIV status. ITUC, which represents 175 million workers all over the world, has written letters to the Emir of Qatar and the Ministry of Labour urging the government of Qatar to ensure the retroactive reappointment of MR. They have made these  <http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/12_01_25_ituc_letter_hivaids_qatar_mo...> letters public.

94% of workers in Qatar are migrants, primarily from developing countries. The dismissal, detention and deportation of MR is not an isolated incident. In this respect, ITUC’s letters point out that “The legally-sanctioned dismissal and deportation of these migrant workers in the event that they test HIV positive places a major burden on their home countries in dealing with loss of income, increased unemployment and increased demands on domestic health systems.”

The South African labour movement, particularly COSATU and FEDUSA, and the South African government support SECTION27 in challenging the laws and policies of Qatar through the Independent Labour Organisation (ILO), and in demanding that Al Jazeera reemploy MR in the position of Managing Editor with retroactive effect and a formal apology for the discrimination he has suffered.

Up to this point, SECTION27 has received no response to letters we have written to Al Jazeera and the Qatari government.  As a result, we will hold a picket of Al Jazeera from 1-2pm on Tuesday 14 February 2012 at the Al Jazeera offices in Johannesburg at 1 Park Road, Richmond, Johannesburg, 2092. We call on trade union members, journalist and people who believe in human rights to show solidarity and join us.

For further information contact Nikki Stein by phone at 011 356 4118 or by email at  <mailto:st...@section27.org.za> st...@section27.org.za

 <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=nf&gid=301238832249> SSN on FacebookStudent activists finally bailed out

Lucky Lukhele, SSN spokesperson, 6 February, 2012

The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] would like to thank all the people who sacrificed their hard earned money and contributed it towards the release-on-bail of Maxwell Dlamini and Musa Ngubeni, the two student leaders who were arrested last April under false charges of being in possession of explosives. Maxwell Dlamini is already out of jail, while Musa Ngubeni is due out in the coming few days.

While it is definitely a positive development that they can now attend trials from the comfort of their homes, practically speaking they are still imprisoned as their bail conditions are inhumanely stringent. Moreover, history has shown that the state deliberately allow political cases to drag on for decades in the hope of frustrating activists and denying them the right to pursue their political course.

It is imperative, therefore, that all progressive Swazis put pressure on the king’s government to drop these false charges against all political prisoners completely if the country’s judiciary fails to finalize their cases within the next few months.

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets

Braamfontein

2017

P.O.Box 1019

Johannesburg

South Africa

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080 / 6940

Mobile: +27 82 821 7456

E-Mail: patr...@cosatu.org.za

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