SWAZI UNION LEADERSHIP ARRESTED

Swazi Unions’ Leadership Arrested

Labour leadership was this morning rounded up and arrested by the regimes security forces, the Swaziland Democracy Campaign reports.

. They include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Barnes Dlamini-SFTU President

2. Sipho Kunene-SUDF President

3. Vincent Ncongwane-SFL Secretary General

4. Phumelele Zulu-Dlamini-SFL Executive Member

5. Sibongile Mazibuko-SNAT President

6. Muzi Mhlanga-SNAT Secretary General

7. Nomkhosi Dlamini-Gumedze-SFTU Women’s Wing Secretary

It is not known where the comrades have been detained.

In addition to the leadership, a Dutch journalist, Rob Hartgers who is in Swaziland to cover the action, has been detained at the Manzini Regional Headquarters. Another Dutch journalist, identified only as Peter, has been thoroughly searched at a roadblock near Manzini.

Meanwhile the paramilitary police in full riot gear, and include shields and rifles are chanting and marching along the streets of Manzini. Passing through Manzini’s Freedom Square, where the march is supposed to start from this morning, SUDF’s Sikelela Dlamini was threatened with instant arrest and as we write this, he is fortunately still free.

All buses coming from Big Bend have all been detained at the Police Station there and irrespective of who the passengers are. Four buses and six mini-buses from Simunye and Mhlume have also been detained. Buses from Mananga, ferrying teachers to the march have been detained.

As we write, over fifty (50) marchers/protests have been arrested and detained and it is not known where they have been taken to. The security forces are literally grabbing everyone they can lay their hands on from the streets and detaining them. The latest we are getting is that at Moneni, as you enter Manzini from the Eastern part of Swaziland, comrades are being forcefully ejected from all vehicles, deprived of their cell phones and loaded into police vehicles to unknown destinations. , We are currently liaising with leadership that has not been detained as yet and word is “THE MARCH GOES ON”.