Statement
14 September 2011
Gauteng Shop Stewards Demonstrate Solidarity with Struggle for Swaziland Democracy
URGENT MOBILISATION NOTICE : Thursday 15 September 2011 at 2.00pm
In a very welcome gesture of International Solidarity, the Gauteng Provincial Shop Stewards Council that is meeting this week is to demonstrate in support of the struggle for democracy in Swaziland.
Hundreds of Shop Stewards and activists will be marching to the office of the Provincial MEC for Finance to deliver a memorandum calling into question the proposed R2.4bn ‘bailout’ from the SA Reserve Bank.
The Swazi trade union movement which is part of the broad based Swaziland United Democratic Front, and its campaigning wing the Swaziland Democracy Campaign has condemned the bailout because it is conditional on implementing IMF recommendations to retrench 50% of public sector workers, and undermine the living standards of those who remain. This is despite the fact that unemployment and poverty in Swaziland is already at catastrophic levels and 70% of the population live on less than $1 a day.
Democracy activists in Swaziland have decried the absence of any real pressure on the Swazi Royal Regime to make way for a process to democratise Swaziland, and have expressed the view that any bailout under conditions of dictatorship will reinforce corruption and state repression.
That why the key demands of unbanning political parties, releasing all political prisoners, and allowing exiles to return are so very crucial to a genuine democratisation process.
A key leader of the democracy campaign, Comrade Mbuduzi Gina the General Secretary of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and President of the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) will be addressing the demonstration on the recent Global Week of Action, the bailout, and plans for the next stage of the struggle.
The Swaziland Democracy Campaign is honoured to participate in the march alongside COSATU shop steward comrades and we urge all supporters of the SDC and those supporting democracy in Swaziland to mobilise and be part of this heartening display of international worker solidarity.
March starts at 2pm Thursday 15 September from Johannesburg City Hall, Pritchard Street.
Long live the struggle for a democratic Swaziland! Long live workers international solidarity!
Issued by the Swaziland Democracy Campaign
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