It seems my prediction that University of Swaziland (UNISWA) students won’t take lying down the news from the government that their scholarships are to be slashed is coming true.
UNISWA students were due to abandon classes today (12 November 2009) and march to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security ‘en masse’ to deliver a petition on scholarships.
The students are already angry that the allowances they already receive are not enough. Now they are told they will no longer get scholarships to cover food and accommodation.
In the present political climate in Swaziland anything might happen. In the recent past UNISWA students have been tear-gassed and shot at with rubber bullets when they tried to peacefully protest to government.
Thursday, 12 November 2009
POLICE AND UNIVERSITY GAG MASUKU
Nobody who follows events in Swaziland will be the least bit surprised to hear that Mario Masuku was detained by police yesterday (11 November 2009) to stop him addressing a meeting of university students.
Masuku, the President of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) was due to be a panel member at an event to mark the 19th anniversary of Black Wednesday, a day when Swazi troops invaded the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) campus and injured hundreds of students.
Masuku, who was acquitted of charges of sedition and terrorism in September 2009, had been invited by students but the administration at UNISWA did not want him to speak.
Police stopped Masuku as he was in his way to the university and took him to the Sigodvweni police station for questioning. Masuku did not attend the meeting but his words were read out by a student leader.
Masuku later told the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, ‘During the questioning, I was told not to set my foot at the university because the institute’s administration does not approve my participation in that panel.’
Masuku said earlier he was called by police officers from the Hhohho Regional Headquarters and told not to go to the university.
Police Public Relations Officer Senior Superintendent Vusi Masuku said they had to engage prevention strategies to avoid unnecessary confrontation with university authorities. He said police advised him on the strength of a letter from the UNISWA administration.
Vusi Masuku said, ‘He had earlier been served with a letter advising him not to go to the campus. In order to avoid unnecessary confrontation with UNISWA authorities, we took him to the station for a reminder.’
The Swazi police clearly had fears that the anniversary commemoration might be an opportunity for people to come together to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in Swaziland.
Student leaders at UNISWA said they had been grilled the night before the panel meeting by the university’s administration while police stood guard on the campus.
One student leader said the administration even called bus owners to stop them transporting students from the university’s campuses at Luyengo and Mbabane to attend the commemoration at Kwaluseni.
The UNISWA authorities have always had problems with students commemorating Black Wednesday.
Black Wednesday occurred on 14 November 14 1990, when according to the international media, ‘the Swazi government dispatched armed police and military units to the campus to disperse boycotting students. It was a crackdown of unprecedented violence in the history of the university.’
Following the crackdown, the government, under pressure from parents and political organisations, established a commission of inquiry to determine who was responsible. The hearings were held in camera and only the findings and recommendations have been released.
Since 1990, Black Wednesday has become the point of conflict between the students and university administration leading to disruption of lectures and the suspension or expulsion of several students.
For an eye-witness account of what happened on Black Wednesday read Michael Prosser, a professor from the United States who was working at the University of Swaziland at the time.
He wrote, ‘The young soldiers broke into the library and the student hostels, dragging students out, beating both men and women with their night sticks on their arms and legs, and forcing them to run a gauntlet toward the front gate while the soldiers gave them sharp blows.
‘The soldiers taunted the students: “We’ll beat the English out of you.” They were especially vicious toward the women. The soldiers had been stationed that day at the high school next door to the campus and drank lots of beer before they attacked the campus, making them even more violent than otherwise so likely.’
To read the full account, click here.
Masuku, the President of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) was due to be a panel member at an event to mark the 19th anniversary of Black Wednesday, a day when Swazi troops invaded the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) campus and injured hundreds of students.
Masuku, who was acquitted of charges of sedition and terrorism in September 2009, had been invited by students but the administration at UNISWA did not want him to speak.
Police stopped Masuku as he was in his way to the university and took him to the Sigodvweni police station for questioning. Masuku did not attend the meeting but his words were read out by a student leader.
Masuku later told the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, ‘During the questioning, I was told not to set my foot at the university because the institute’s administration does not approve my participation in that panel.’
Masuku said earlier he was called by police officers from the Hhohho Regional Headquarters and told not to go to the university.
Police Public Relations Officer Senior Superintendent Vusi Masuku said they had to engage prevention strategies to avoid unnecessary confrontation with university authorities. He said police advised him on the strength of a letter from the UNISWA administration.
Vusi Masuku said, ‘He had earlier been served with a letter advising him not to go to the campus. In order to avoid unnecessary confrontation with UNISWA authorities, we took him to the station for a reminder.’
The Swazi police clearly had fears that the anniversary commemoration might be an opportunity for people to come together to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in Swaziland.
Student leaders at UNISWA said they had been grilled the night before the panel meeting by the university’s administration while police stood guard on the campus.
One student leader said the administration even called bus owners to stop them transporting students from the university’s campuses at Luyengo and Mbabane to attend the commemoration at Kwaluseni.
The UNISWA authorities have always had problems with students commemorating Black Wednesday.
Black Wednesday occurred on 14 November 14 1990, when according to the international media, ‘the Swazi government dispatched armed police and military units to the campus to disperse boycotting students. It was a crackdown of unprecedented violence in the history of the university.’
Following the crackdown, the government, under pressure from parents and political organisations, established a commission of inquiry to determine who was responsible. The hearings were held in camera and only the findings and recommendations have been released.
Since 1990, Black Wednesday has become the point of conflict between the students and university administration leading to disruption of lectures and the suspension or expulsion of several students.
For an eye-witness account of what happened on Black Wednesday read Michael Prosser, a professor from the United States who was working at the University of Swaziland at the time.
He wrote, ‘The young soldiers broke into the library and the student hostels, dragging students out, beating both men and women with their night sticks on their arms and legs, and forcing them to run a gauntlet toward the front gate while the soldiers gave them sharp blows.
‘The soldiers taunted the students: “We’ll beat the English out of you.” They were especially vicious toward the women. The soldiers had been stationed that day at the high school next door to the campus and drank lots of beer before they attacked the campus, making them even more violent than otherwise so likely.’
To read the full account, click here.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
SWAZI SNAPSHOT - BUREAUCRACY
I don't usually comment on blogsites from Swaziland that have been set up by people who are just passing through or by folks from faith groups who think they're in the kingdom on a mission from God, but this one is too good to ignore.
It shows a snapshot of life in Swaziland that I'm sure we are all familiar with - the totallly banal bureuacracy that makes it nearly impossible to get anything done.
This is written by Paisley Blank on the Doug and Paisley in Swaziland blogsite.
Bureaucracy
I have tried to remain positive in my blogging for many reasons, but most importantly: 1) I don’t like complainers, and 2) I want to remember the good things about Swaziland, as opposed to the bad. But, today was a special day and it deserves to be documented. In an effort not to waste MORE time, I’m going with a chronological approach as opposed to a full narrative (for real, I’ve already been tortured once):
8:20am Left home and drove to Matsapha (30 kilometers)
8:45am Stopped for the third time to ask for directions to government sanctioned auto shop
9:00am Arrived C.T.A. (government sanctioned auto shop). Let the record show that there is not a single sign anywhere indicating the location is in fact C.T.A.
9:30am Completed paperwork, road worthiness test, and received ‘stamped’ receipt proving so
9:50am Back in Mbabane (30 kilometers)
10:00am In line at Income Tax office in pursuit of ‘tax credit number’
10:15am Sent away from Income Tax office to ‘Grade Tax’ office (different building) to complete paperwork for said tax credit number
10:40am Back in line at Income Tax office with tax credit number in hand
11:00am Departed Income Tax office and drove to national Revenue headquarters
11:05am Sent away from Revenue headquarters because their ‘system’ is down
11:15am Departed Revenue headquarters for Revenue ‘satellite’ branch in town (where aforementioned ‘system’ is working)
11:40am In line at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch. Let the record show that the line is out the door.
12:00pm Give window teller 8 ‘stamped’ documents in pursuit of changing over the title of our car to our name
12:05pm Informed missing 1 document
12:10pm Departed for Manzini Police Station (35 kilometers) to retrieve missing document
12:40pm In line at Police Station
1:00pm Departed for Mbabane (35 kilometers) with ‘stamped’ missing document in tow
1:30pm Arrived back at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch. It is closed until 2:00pm for lunch…
1:40pm Departed for Swaziland Water Services headquarters to resolve duplicate billing issue
1:50pm Waited in parking lot for headquarters to re-open following lunch
2:05pm In line at Swaziland Water Services headquarters
2:10pm Sent away from headquarters to ‘satellite’ branch in the Swazi Plaza where the old MTN offices used to be (oh, right, now I know where you’re talking about…of course)
2:30pm In line at Swaziland Water Services ‘satellite’ branch
2:35pm Sent away from ‘satellite’ branch because their ‘system’ is down (seriously?)
3:05pm In line at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch with 8 ‘stamped’ documents plus previously missing document
3:20pm Owner of vehicle and now title for Toyota RAV 4
Yep, that really did take 7 hours. Awesome.
It shows a snapshot of life in Swaziland that I'm sure we are all familiar with - the totallly banal bureuacracy that makes it nearly impossible to get anything done.
This is written by Paisley Blank on the Doug and Paisley in Swaziland blogsite.
Bureaucracy
I have tried to remain positive in my blogging for many reasons, but most importantly: 1) I don’t like complainers, and 2) I want to remember the good things about Swaziland, as opposed to the bad. But, today was a special day and it deserves to be documented. In an effort not to waste MORE time, I’m going with a chronological approach as opposed to a full narrative (for real, I’ve already been tortured once):
8:20am Left home and drove to Matsapha (30 kilometers)
8:45am Stopped for the third time to ask for directions to government sanctioned auto shop
9:00am Arrived C.T.A. (government sanctioned auto shop). Let the record show that there is not a single sign anywhere indicating the location is in fact C.T.A.
9:30am Completed paperwork, road worthiness test, and received ‘stamped’ receipt proving so
9:50am Back in Mbabane (30 kilometers)
10:00am In line at Income Tax office in pursuit of ‘tax credit number’
10:15am Sent away from Income Tax office to ‘Grade Tax’ office (different building) to complete paperwork for said tax credit number
10:40am Back in line at Income Tax office with tax credit number in hand
11:00am Departed Income Tax office and drove to national Revenue headquarters
11:05am Sent away from Revenue headquarters because their ‘system’ is down
11:15am Departed Revenue headquarters for Revenue ‘satellite’ branch in town (where aforementioned ‘system’ is working)
11:40am In line at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch. Let the record show that the line is out the door.
12:00pm Give window teller 8 ‘stamped’ documents in pursuit of changing over the title of our car to our name
12:05pm Informed missing 1 document
12:10pm Departed for Manzini Police Station (35 kilometers) to retrieve missing document
12:40pm In line at Police Station
1:00pm Departed for Mbabane (35 kilometers) with ‘stamped’ missing document in tow
1:30pm Arrived back at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch. It is closed until 2:00pm for lunch…
1:40pm Departed for Swaziland Water Services headquarters to resolve duplicate billing issue
1:50pm Waited in parking lot for headquarters to re-open following lunch
2:05pm In line at Swaziland Water Services headquarters
2:10pm Sent away from headquarters to ‘satellite’ branch in the Swazi Plaza where the old MTN offices used to be (oh, right, now I know where you’re talking about…of course)
2:30pm In line at Swaziland Water Services ‘satellite’ branch
2:35pm Sent away from ‘satellite’ branch because their ‘system’ is down (seriously?)
3:05pm In line at ‘satellite’ Revenue branch with 8 ‘stamped’ documents plus previously missing document
3:20pm Owner of vehicle and now title for Toyota RAV 4
Yep, that really did take 7 hours. Awesome.
SWAZILAND DEMOCRACY NOW! LAUNCH
The following is a statement Issued by the Swaziland Democracy Campaign Preparatory Team.
Launch of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign
28 November 2009 will mark an historic day in the struggle for democracy in Swaziland . On this day organisations representing the overwhelming majority of the oppressed and struggling people of Swaziland, and organisations supporting their cause here in South Africa, will jointly gather in Johannesburg to formally launch the Swaziland Democracy Campaign.
This campaign builds on the proud tradition of joint border blockades between South African organisations and their Swazi counterparts, started in 1996 by COSATU, the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and PUDEMO in Swaziland, this momentum snowballed into the Joint Swazi Action Campaign (JSAC) and ultimately in the forthcoming launch of the Swaziland Democracy NOW! Campaign.
The Campaign is the culmination of a series of consultations, joint mass activities, a sustained information campaign and the exchange of ideas and experiences on mass mobilisation between South African organisations and their Swazi counterparts, to expose King Mswati and his cohorts for their continued suffocation of the Swazi people’s aspirations, corruption and extravagance in the midst of dehumanising poverty.
Through the Swaziland Democracy Campaign we hope to launch a Global Campaign initiative involving millions of people, including justice activists, democrats and internationalists all over the world, acting in unity against the oppressive tinkhundla regime in Swaziland.
The campaign has already struck a chord with global activists in different parts of the world, who have already started pledging their support and interest in actively participating and supporting the struggle for democracy in Swaziland.
In this regard, we note and welcome the visit of Swaziland trade unionists to Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal, with the kind assistance of various friends of the Swazi people, who have recorded huge successes in raising the profile of the Swazi people’s struggle and winning more support for the cause.
We also salute the British TUC for their efforts to consolidate a decisive and clear initiative towards the coming Commonwealth Heads of State summit in Trinidad and Tobago and the impetus added by the International Trade Union Confederation report on Swaziland in which it is identified as one of the worst violators of workers’ rights and demonstrating a lack of respect for basic democratic obligations.
Through this campaign we will assert that the focus is the enemy of the Swazi people - the royal family and the tinkhundla regime as a whole. All people of the world must be rallied against these as targets who must be isolated, exposed and confronted wherever they go. Their assets must be frozen, their luxuries confiscated and their lives made miserable as they are doing to the suffering people of Swaziland.
For far too long, the Swaziland economy has been used to parasitically feed the royal family and beef up their security by brutalising the people’s campaign for democracy and change. The message must be loud and clear, this is the time for sanctions against Swaziland’s ruling regime.
This Campaign follows a series of actions organised throughout September, and a successful meeting of South African civil society organisations held on 22 October 2009, attended by NGOs, faith-based organisations, solidarity and social movements, political parties, Alliance formations, COSATU and its affiliated unions, PUDEMO activists and individual solidarity activists.
This meeting developed a shared understanding of what solidarity means and how this translates into concrete actions. It was through this assessment that the idea of a global campaign for democracy, starting here in South Africa was born. This Campaign enjoys the full confidence and legitimacy of all those involved and who are affected by the struggle, as it brings together both those in whose name the struggle is being waged and those who are offering solidarity or supporting the flag bearers of the cause.
This initiative has benefited immensely from the proud traditions of the anti-apartheid movement and other international solidarity initiatives throughout the world, in whose achievements and lessons this Campaign stands. Armed with activists who were personally involved in many international struggles, particularly the anti-apartheid movement and a wealth of experienced trade unionists, NGO activists and internationalists of varying form, this initiative is destined for greater heights.
However, all this relies on the vast knowledge, involvement and leadership of the Swazi people themselves and their representative organisations on the matters that only they know best.
In the run up to the launch of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign we will be engaging in:
A seminar to exchange views between organisations from Swaziland and their counterparts from Zimbabwe and South Africa. It will share lessons from the transitions and challenges in these countries. It will also include a scenario development and analysis process to map our future scenarios for a democratic Swaziland and will agree a joint programme of action to guide the momentum towards a sustained offensive.
Processes on both sides of the border to prepare for the launch, which will consolidate all of them into a single mighty wave for a new and democratic Swaziland.
The formal launch of a Swaziland Democracy Campaign will take place on 28 November 2009 in Johannesburg through the joint work of both Swaziland and South African progressive and civil society organisations
Issued by the Swaziland Democracy Campaign Preparatory Team.
Monday, 9 November 2009
MPs LINE POCKETS, SWAZILAND FALLS
Despite the financial meltdown soon to destroy Swaziland, the kingdom’s members of parliament have awarded themselves huge pay increases.
This was in the week that it was announced that Swaziland is unable to attract any foreign investment worth the name and following the news of the loss of 600 jobs because SAPPI Usutu, one of Swaziland’s biggest private employers is to close down.
Further evidence that everyone except MPs and the ruling elite will have to suffer came with news that students in Swaziland will no longer get scholarships to cover food and accommodation.
An MP will now be paid on average a gross salary of E40 000 (5,575 US dollars) a month increasing from their previous E29 000.
They will also get allowances running into tens of thousands of emalangeni a year In Swaziland seven in ten people earn less than E8 a day.
It is now predicted that civil servants will want to see their pay rise by the same proportion. Then, people employed in private businesses will want the same.
All this is happening at a time when Swaziland’s income from the Southern African Customs Union is set to fall by about 60 percent this year. Swaziland also has a debt of E1 billion with SACU which it has to pay back.
One anonymous economist quoted by the Weekend Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III, said that as fewer and fewer people are employed in Swaziland, the revenue from income tax falls. ‘The taxable bracket in Swaziland is shrinking and investment levels are low, yet our public spending on social sector is on the increase. So if our SACU receipts go down, where is government going to get the money to sustain this expenditure?’
The answer of course is that it can’t. The economy is in meltdown and there is nothing the present government can do about it, because it and King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, are the ones who put Swaziland in the mess in the first place.
I predict unrest. First up should be the students. On past evidence I can’t see them accepting the slashing of their scholarships. We should expect to see the University of Swaziland burn – once again.
This was in the week that it was announced that Swaziland is unable to attract any foreign investment worth the name and following the news of the loss of 600 jobs because SAPPI Usutu, one of Swaziland’s biggest private employers is to close down.
Further evidence that everyone except MPs and the ruling elite will have to suffer came with news that students in Swaziland will no longer get scholarships to cover food and accommodation.
An MP will now be paid on average a gross salary of E40 000 (5,575 US dollars) a month increasing from their previous E29 000.
They will also get allowances running into tens of thousands of emalangeni a year In Swaziland seven in ten people earn less than E8 a day.
It is now predicted that civil servants will want to see their pay rise by the same proportion. Then, people employed in private businesses will want the same.
All this is happening at a time when Swaziland’s income from the Southern African Customs Union is set to fall by about 60 percent this year. Swaziland also has a debt of E1 billion with SACU which it has to pay back.
One anonymous economist quoted by the Weekend Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III, said that as fewer and fewer people are employed in Swaziland, the revenue from income tax falls. ‘The taxable bracket in Swaziland is shrinking and investment levels are low, yet our public spending on social sector is on the increase. So if our SACU receipts go down, where is government going to get the money to sustain this expenditure?’
The answer of course is that it can’t. The economy is in meltdown and there is nothing the present government can do about it, because it and King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, are the ones who put Swaziland in the mess in the first place.
I predict unrest. First up should be the students. On past evidence I can’t see them accepting the slashing of their scholarships. We should expect to see the University of Swaziland burn – once again.
FULL CONFIDENCE IN SWAZI RIGHTS
I wrote this knowing with full confidence that in Swaziland I have the right to freedom of speech.
Signed
Anonymous
Opening sentence of a letter to the editor published in the Times Sunday, Swaziland 8 November 2009
Sunday, 8 November 2009
SWAZI PRESS TELL PART OF THE TRUTH
The Times Sunday newspaper in Swaziland sticks its neck out a little today (8 November 2009) by publishing in some detail a severe attack on the kingdom’s human rights violations.
The attack from the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC) says that pro-democracy campaigners are being subjected to systematic harassment, with patronage and corruption rife in the kingdom. It says resources vital for health and education are diverted to sustain the lifestyles of individuals.
Good on the Times Sunday, part of Swaziland’s only independent newspaper group, for bringing this to the attention of the Swazi people. Unfortunately, the newspaper pulls its punches when it reveals, ‘Some of the descriptions [contained in the ITUC report] cannot be repeated because they are sensitive in nature.’
‘Sensitive’? I guess that must mean the report says something critical of King Mswati III, sub-Sahara’s last absolute monarch.
I’d like to tell you definitively what’s in the report, but I haven’t seen it and try as I might I can’t find it.
The Times Sunday says the ITUC publication was released on Wednesday (4 November 2009) and is a quarterly report on Swaziland sent to ITUC members internationally. It’s not the same report that I wrote about earlier this week so if anyone has a copy I’d be grateful to receive one (swazimedia@yahoo.com).
According to the Times Sunday, the ITUC accuses Swaziland of politicising culture and tradition to retain and sustain the system of governance.
It says with political parties driven underground, labour unions play a prominent part in the democracy movement working alongside the churches, human rights groups, banned politicians and even on occasion the employers’ organisation to demand change.
‘However, standing up for democracy can come at a price in Swaziland,’ the confederation says.
‘Although the authorities have carefully avoided the sort of violent crackdown on the opposition that has led to international condemnation and isolation for Zimbabwe, there is a pattern of coercion against dissidents. Jan Sithole, secretary general of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, was arrested twice last year. Striking textile workers and student demonstrators have been subjected to brutal police responses to peaceful protest.’
The ITUC says opposition figures frequently face detention, police raids on their homes and threats of job losses, eviction or worse.
The ITUC recalls that Barnabas Dlamini, the illegally-appointed Prime Minister of Swaziland, announced in early March that all civil servants belonging to political parties or other organisations opposed to the system of governance would be rooted out and fired.
The international union went on to say that the level of oppression was cranked up in November last year when the government began the implementation of a new Suppression of Terrorism Act to silence dissenting voices.
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