Communists in Swaziland /
Eswatini are to launch a campaign of opposition to the absolute monarch King
Mswati III urging ‘maximum defiance’. It is one of several ongoing campaigns in
the kingdom, mostly organised by trade unions.
The Communist Party of
Swaziland’s ‘Red October’ campaign starts on Saturday (27 October 2018). In a
statement it said, ‘The aim is to up the pressure on the dictatorship, which is
increasingly showing signs of cracking under popular pressure.’
It is targeting policing
and police stations; structures of the Tinkhundla ‘traditional’ authority;
royal owned places of business, leisure and livelihood; Parliament and
government ministries; government e-communications and the electricity supply
to key regime sites of power.
It said, ‘Ideas for
blocking, thwarting and sabotaging the regime’s governance and running will be
developed in a coordinated way to affect a maximum number of sites of the
regime’s operations. The regime will learn that there is no space within
society where it can relax or be sure of popular compliance and support.’
It added, ‘The aim is to
make the regime unable to function as broadly as possible, to make it unable to
govern the country in key areas. Maximum Defiance aims to allow our people to
adopt a flexible approach to how they resist the regime. We are not calling for
an immediate shutdown of everything, but we are urging labour unions, civil
society, communities and party organisations to find the best ways to defy the
regime in as many areas of their work and life as possible.’
It said, ‘The overriding
aim of the Maximum Defiance campaign is to push the regime to accepting the
will of the people by unbanning all political formations, ensuring complete
freedom of assembly and media, and disbanding itself as an initial step towards
free and fair multi-party elections.’
There is at present an
ongoing campaign by trade unions under the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland
(TUCOSWA). Workers want a national minimum wage of E3,500 (US$ 234.27) a month,
and an increase in elderly grants (pensions) to E1,500. Public sector workers
also want a 6.5 percent cost of living salary adjustment. The Government says
it is broke and has offered zero percent.
Many workers also want the
legalisation of solidarity strikes, an increase in health and education funding
and an end to arbitrary evictions especially on the working class and poor.
Teachers are presently
boycotting overseeing school examinations as part of their own dispute over
pay.
On 23 September 2018 the
Industrial Court forced the Swaziland National
Association of Teachers to postpone a three-day strike until 23
November 2018
See also
Widespread Condemnation
of Swaziland Police Brutal Attacks on Workers
Vicious
Attack by Swaziland Police on Defenceless Workers Captured on Video
Swaziland
Police Fire Gunshots During Textiles Dispute, Third Attack on Workers in a Week
Swaziland
Teacher Who Stopped Police Chief Shooting Into Unarmed Crowd Appears in Court
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/08/swaziland-teacher-who-stopped-police.html
Police in Swaziland Attack Nurses With Taser During Peaceful Protest Over Pay
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/08/police-in-swaziland-attack-nurses-with.html
Police in Swaziland Attack Nurses With Taser During Peaceful Protest Over Pay
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