RE-AFFIRMING PUDEMO'S MAIN PROGRAMME OF ACTION

STATEMENT RE-AFFIRMING PUDEMO'S MAIN PROGRAMME OF ACTION - issued 21 May 2009

This serves to re-assure the general membership of PUDEMO and our friends domestically and internationally that we are still alive, committed and vigorously working to achieve the strategic objective of liberating our people from the clutches of the oppressive Tinkhundla royal regime. The NEC of PUDEMO met on the 17 May 2009 to re-affirm the main Programme of Action for the year to encompass the following:

a) Regional Congresses – as per our constitutional requirement, our regional structures are expected to hold their congresses this year. The dates for the congresses have been set as follows:

Shiselweni Region – 21 June 2009

Manzini Region – 28 June 2009

Lubombo Region – 28 June 2009

Hhohho Region – 28 June 2009

External Region – 28 June 2009

b) Strengthening the Swaziland United Democratic Front – we still maintain that the SUDF is a crucial vehicle in the fight for the transition from the oppressive Tinkhundla rule to a democratic dispensation. We have the responsibility and commitment to ensure that we continue to make our contribution towards advancing the objectives of the SUDF. As we go for the congress of the SUDF next month, we shall aim at nothing, but make it stronger and more effective.

c) Release Mario Masuku Campaign – as long as the President of PUDEMO remains in detention, the calls for his release will not cease. We have put in place programmes and strategies to ensure the call echoes day and night at home, in the palace and abroad until our President is set free unconditionally.

d) PUDEMO Day – 2009 marks the 26^th year of our existence as an organization fighting for a democratic dispensation in Swaziland . The 4^th July 2009 has been identified as the day we will both renew and re-affirm our commitment in the struggle to liberate our people from the royal regime and make Swaziland a giant of democracy.

e) Intensifying international work – raising the profile of our struggle internationally is very crucial at this stage to ensure unbearable pressure and isolation is applied on the oppressive royal regime by the international community.

f) Mass mobilization – this is an on-going task by the movement to conscientize the oppressed people of our country. Emphasis is to be made in rural Swaziland where royal hegemony and hostility is strongest towards democratization.

g) Leadership development – programmes have been put in place to build and develop more leaders at all levels within PUDEMO. This will ensure the organization’s work and programmes are carried out efficiently.

Contacts

Dep President - Sikhumbuzo Phakathi - 0731427594 (external)

Publicity - Zakhele Mabuza - +268 6073453 (internal)

STATEMENT ON THE ONGOING POLICE RAIDS ON PUDEMO MEMBERS IN SWAZILAND

As is the norm with the Swazi regime that uses repressive tactics to subdue the populace, it is presently visiting another wave of harassment on our members. First on Friday, the state’s security agents raided Wandile Dludlu, the President of PUDEMO Youth League in Mbabane and confiscated everything on the organization ranging from t-shirts to documents. On Saturday morning, Mandla Ndlangamandla in Malkerns was also raided taking with them t-shirts and documents. On Tuesday Sphasha Dlamini, the Secretary General of PUDEMO was summoned to the Police Headquarters in Mbabane to answer on why she made a statement on the day's Times of Swaziland . From reliable sources, we are told the raids are still to continue on our members as the security agents have been numerous search warrants to effect the raids at will. As a result our members are living one day at a time not knowing when the brutality will be visited on them.



We note that the state is under tremendous pressure to democratize as well as release the PUDEMO President Mario Masuku. The state felt highly embarrassed and intimidated when scores of workers defiantly and proudly came clad in PUDEMO t-shirts varying messages demanding democratic change. However, the biggest embarrassment was the loud message demanding the release of the PUDEMO President. This was a surprise to the state which had hoped by detaining him, the people had forgotten about their leader! Hence now the security agents are moving all over the country in a mission to remove all t-shirts with message demanding the release of the peoples’s Leader! In the process they are trampling on people’s rights. This is mission impossible! The resources used to raid all the homesteads in Swaziland should best be used to investigate the numerous cases of corruption and theft of public funds, a better priority.



PUDEMO and the people of Swaziland strongly condemn this barbaric and dictatorial act by the Swazi regime. A regime that is in charge of the SADC Troika on politics and democratic governance. Indeed Swaziland is special in the region with its archaic and semi-fuedal tendencies of governance which the international community must not allow to continue. However, this regime consists of very slow learners and seriuosly challenged people who cannot learn from experiences of other dictatorships that they will not win, but the people shall always TRIUMPH even if they can use the deadliest of force!



Contacts

Dep. President - Sikhumbuzo Phakathi - 0731427594 - (external)

Publicity - Zakhele Mabuza - +286 6073453 - (internal)

STATEMENT ON WORKERS' DAY

PUDEMO PRESS RELEASE

STATEMENT ON WORKERS' DAY – 4 May 2009

The 1st of May 2009 will be remembered as a very significant turning point in the history of the trade union movement is Swaziland . This is because of the fact that we witnessed the workers from the three worker groupings in the country namely the SFL, SFTU and SNAT; and the Swaziland United Democratic Front celebrating the day together for the second consecutive year running. This clearly gives hope that PUDEMO’s call for “one industry one federation” shall soon be realized. The message from all the speakers on the day was very clear and it touched on the following demands:

• A living wage, non-taxation of benefits and full recognition of workers rights.
• Constitutional multi-party democracy.
• The release of PUDEMO President Mario Masuku.
• The return of all exiles.
• The scrapping of the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008.

The Deputy President of PUDEMO Sikhumbuzo Phakathi and the President of PUDEMO Youth League Wandile Dludlu made powerful and eloquent addresses to the thousands of workers who clearly embraced PUDEMO as their political organization despite the so called ‘ban’ by the royal regime in Swaziland . Of course, their addresses and presence were never reported in the local media. Instead the media reported mostly on the entertainment that was provided on the day. This clearly shows that our media greatly lacks independence. We are reliably informed that these days the state is really tightening the screws on the media and has been infuriated by the recent reports on the E/R 25m spent on cars during the King’s birthday. The forced ‘apologies’ we see in the local newspapers is not a coincidence, but is a result of the threats and pressure visited on the media by the state over this particular issue. And so the media personnel is protecting their jobs. Reporting on PUDEMO has come with horrible threats from the state directed to the personnel in the media sector.

Although the event was successful, we note that the organizers had to go through difficult challenges deliberately imposed by the state. Firstly we note that workers were denied the use of both the Trade Fair Ground and the Mavuso Sports Ground that was opened by the King during his recent birthday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with the notorious Manzini City Council/Municipality deliberately denied the workers the right to use these facilities that were constructed by through their hard earned taxes. Secondly, the state through its security agents attempted to interfere with the programme by instructing the organizers to remove from the day’s programme. However, the labour leadership remained resolute and refused to comply with the order. The ‘high ranking’ police officers left with their tails between their legs with embarrassment infront of the multitudes of workers!

As PUDEMO, we congratulate the unity and resoluteness displayed by the workers of Swaziland in their quest for both political and economic liberation from the clutches of the corrupt and repressive royal regime. There is strength in unity. AMANDLA!!

Contacts

Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi – 27-731427594 (external)

Publicity – Zakhele Mabuza – +268 6073453 (internal)