Swazi Observer
5 September 2008
By Sisho Magagula
MBABANE, the capital city, was yesterday turned into a war zone as police pounced on over 10 000 protestors and shot them with rubber bullets and teargas canisters.
The whole city itself came to a complete standstill yesterday.
Shops and other businesses were closed for the better part of the day.
A bus, Phumzakhele Bus Service, was bombed but no one was injured.
Some vehicles were stoned and buildings vandalised by rampaging protesters around the city.
From morning, the protest was rather peaceful, with police watching proceedings from a distance.
The clash between the police and the demonstrators began just after 1pm when demonstrators vandalised cars and windows at the Parkview flats.
When the police approached the marchers, they hurled insults at them.
This provoked the wrath of the police as they, without hesitation, fired teargas canisters and the marchers ran in all directions.
Soon, a huge water canon from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) arrived at the scene and immediately released water, thus dispersing the protesters.
Not to be outdone, the protesters stoned the police and what was to follow was complete mayhem, as the whole city was littered with running protesters.
The cops were everywhere, and everyone wearing a red T-shirt was the target.
White elephant of repute, unfinished SASCCO building served as a hideout for most marchers.
However, within moments, a rather rejuvenated brigade of police officers invaded the structure, and, like cockroaches running away from doom sprays - the protestors were on the run again.
Police were indiscriminatingly firing teargas on everyone.
At the old bus rank, a pregnant woman who was in town to buy clothes of the baby was injured whilst running away from the uncompromising cops.
A protester was sent flying - in the literal sense - by the water canon at Gwamile Street next to the Ritz Cafe.
Police, on board their famous ‘hippo’ trucks were literally combing the city.
The march itself was characterized by the famous toyi-toyi dance as the demonstrators marched around the city.
Leading the march were Vincent Ncongwane of SFL, Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) President Dr. Alvit Dlamini, Barnes Dlamini, Chairman of the Swaziland United Democratic Front.
Lawyers Thulani Maseko and Paul Shilubane also took part in the protest.
A number of political activists were detained by state police yesterday for questioning.
KFC outlet bombed
There was pandemonium at the KFC outlet when a refuse bin suddenly exploded next to the entrance.
The exit turned out to be too small as scores of customers scrambled for the door, all at the same time.
The person who planted the bomb remains unknown.
The explosion occurred after the police had dispersed protesters.
In an interview, Scelo Dlamini, a customer who was present during the explosion said, "I was sitting next to the entrance with my sister enjoying Street Wise 2. A man passed us and said, kune bomb la, kune bomb la, but we didn't take him seriously."
Dlamini said the man was wearing a red T-shirt.
"After saying this, he left through the exit door and within moments, the refuse bin by the door exploded and we all rushed for the door," he said.
When our newsmen arrived, a huge crowd had gathered next to the food outlet.
A woman, Nomcebo Dlamini was affected by the smoke and she was constantly coughing.
The Police Bomb Disposal Unit arrived at the scene minutes later.
The food outlet was closed thereafter.
Protestors loot
vendors' stands
FRUIT and vegetable vendors had bad business yesterday as some protesters looted their wares.
There was chaos at the bus rank as the protesters invaded it and looted bananas, apples and other fruit and vegetables from the vendors.
Bus and kombi operators had to abandon business for over 30 minutes as protestors ran amok and took control of the bus rank.
One vendor expressed her discontent as the conduct of the protesters.
“They say they want money; we also want money, which is why we are here. So manje why loot our products nje, said Maria Sithole.
At Vumile Hair Salon, the marchers vandalised the door and chastised the hair stylists for working during the Ïstruggle.
"Uyasebenta wena silwa tsine, silelwa wena,"they said.
At this point, scores of armed cops approached the marchers, only to be told off.
The protestors threw stones at them but the cops did not retaliate.
There was huge excitement when the protesters met with the toyi-toying students at the corner of Somhlolo road and Gwamile Street.
However, the students, much against expectations, did not join the workers but continued with the march to the ministry of education.
The protest was well covered by international media as they made their presence felt by interviewing the organisers of the event and recording everything said and done.
These were journalists from the BBC, CNN, Voice of Africa (VOA), SABC, and BTV.
THE DEMANDS
*Calling for immediate cessation of basic commodity including food, electricity and transport price hikes.
*Calling for an urgent stakeholders all inclusive social dialogue
*Calling for multi- party elections in 2008 and beyond
*Calling for immediate availability of drugs and public health centres
* calling for fiscal discipline on the part of government on public funds including the 40/40 celebrations
* calling for a minimum wage
* calling for availability and guarantee of tertiary learners' scholarship
Calling for E500 per month social grants for the elderly
* calling for non-taxation of benefits
* calling for non-taxation of terminal benefits
* calling for registration and recognition of the both the police and warders union
* calling for respect of the rule of law
* calling for adherence of international treaties to whom Swaziland is party
Calling for storage of privatisation of national assets
*Calling for quality public and withdrawal if IGCSE and the GCSE
Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=46678§ion=main
See also
1 comment:
Charles said there were 1,000 protesters on Day 1 of the strike.
Others wrote 10,000.
Charles said there were 5,000 protesters on Day 2 of the strike.
Sisho writes there were 10,000.
So can journalist count?
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