ACTIVIST KILLING: PROTEST PICKET

The following is a statement from the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) on the funeral of democracy activist Sipho Jele. It highlights a protest picket that will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa this Friday (21 May 2010).

Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] Activities in Solidarity with the People of Swaziland.

18^th May, 2010.

The unfortunate incident which occurred over the weekend, at the late Sipho Jele's funeral, when the Royal Swaziland Police Force decided to decimate everything that bore a likeness to the PUDEMO colours and logos is extremely difficult to understand from a strictly human point of view. Unfortunately, even animals are not known to exhibit such behaviour. Animals in the jungle have been observed to exhibit a semblance of respect for their dead peers save for those that they regard as food.

In seeking to understand police behaviour in the wee hours of last Sunday Morning, one has to consider the circumstances under which they were operating. All mourners who had attended the funeral did so purely out of devotion to their lost comrades. Whatever the weather conditions in that far out area of Ncabaneni, their hearts and minds were able to keep them warm enough to brave the chilly weather. Added to that, the very kind and reasonable Jele family was available to ensure that their needs were taken care of. On the other hand, the police, uninvited and in attendance only because their superiors had commanded them to leave their warm work stations in order to attend the funeral of a man whose death their conscience is still trying very hard to deal with, were obviously not coping with the circumstances. It is also very possible that they had to intoxicate themselves with the dagga that they steal when they raid dagga fields in the Northern parts of the country. As to why police, as thinking humans, allow themselves to be abused in this manner is something which boggles the mind.

SSN will join other organisations on a picket on the 21^st May, 2010 more details below

Venue: Swazi consulate, Forum V, 33 Hoofd Street, Braamfontein Johannesburg. Behind the Johannesburg Civic Theatre

Date: 21^st May, 2010

Time: 12h00 (lunch time Picket)

Meanwhile, The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] will protest for a 9 days long as a form of PICKET protest against Amos Mbedze and the killing of our comrade Sipho Jele details below.

Date: 31^st May -09^th June 2010

Time: 13H00 -14H00

Venue: Swazi consulate, Forum V, 33 Hoofd Street, Braamfontein Johannesburg. Behind the Johannesburg Civic Theatre

Who is Amos Mbedzi

Amos Mbedzi is a South African born revolutionary who was trained by the ANC both politically and militarily and was an active member of Mkhonto we Sizwe, he is a cultural activist and a writer of plays. He is currently incarcerated by the Swazi regime for allegedly being at the nearby scene of a bomb explosion next to Lozitha palace that killed two activists Musa Dlamini and Jack Govender also a South African since September 2008. The Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] has been fighting for his unconditional release and for democracy in Swaziland. His trial is to start on the 31^st May, 2010 it is expected it will last for 9 days in the High Court of Swaziland in Mbabane.

Issued By the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] South Africa Chapter