Leaderless Swazi uprising continues

By Peter Kenworthy, Africa Contact's Swaziland group

The Swazi uprising is continuing, despite the fact that the entire leadership of the organising movements and organisations have been detained, according to a statement by the Swaziland Solidarity Network.

”After the entire leadership of the Labour Coordinating Council was arrested, the labour unions simply continued with their protest as planned. When they entered the centre of Manzini city, ordinary people from all walks of life joined them to voice out their support for the uprising. ”

Swazi security forces are trying to shut down the uprising with water cannons, tear gas and random beatings and arrests, but have so far only managed to shut down Manzini’s shops and businesses. “Freedom Square [in Manzini, Swaziland] is under siege by the state security forces. In fact there is no business in the city today,” said Thamsanca Tsabedze from the Foundation for Socio-Economic Justice.

Police are also still busy arresting members of the organisations who planned the demonstrations. Sikelela Dlamini, Project Coordinator of the umbrella organisation the Swaziland United Democratic Front, and many others with him were arrested in this latest spate of arrests.