Strike chaos in Manzini

BY MUSA NHLEKO, Times of Swaziland 26.7.2007

MANZINI – At least one person was injured when police clashed with
protesters yesterday at the hub as tempers flared during the first lap
of the national mass action.

The clash was rather unexpected as the protest action had, all along,
been peaceful.

The two-day mass stay away marshalled by three of Swaziland’s biggest
labour organisations to force government to heed a number of demands,
enters its second day today.

The about 3 000 marchers could only watch helplessly as one of their
members was beaten with batons by police officers after a verbal
confrontation. He was later loaded into a police vehicle.

It has been confirmed that the man, whose identity could not be
established, has been charged with assault in that he allegedly incited
the force against him.

Other than this incident the march through Manzini’s major streets was
predominantly peaceful as protesters chanted and sang liberation songs,
as they toyi toyied away.

There were, however, contained elements of violence as certain
individuals in the crowd occasionally threw stones at some of the stores
and other businesses in the city. These people, who trailed in the rear
of the protesting group, also looted clothing that was on display
outside some of the shops as they passed by. As a result some shop
owners would shut down when the protesters approached.

At one point terrified Standard Bank ATM customers were forced to cram
into one corner as stones were thrown at them while they queued to
withdraw money.

A few spectators were forced to join the march and if they refused they
would be forced out of the way. Police had difficulty controlling some
of the marchers, who were forcing shops to close and they would
occasionally exchange heated words with them.

It was during one of the arguments that a young PUDEMO (Peoples United
Democratic Movement) member was grabbed and beaten.

After the beating was meted out to him, he was lucky as some of the
senior police officers later whisked him away from those with batons to
a police vehicle that was parked at a distance.

While the comrade was being told to get in the car, he first refused and
was heard saying he would rather die than get into the blue police
vehicle, but eventually did.

He was rushed to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital (RFM) after
sustaining some injuries.

The PUDEMO member, according to the Secretary General Sphasha Dlamini,
was brought by the police to the hospital, but another group of police
officers came and took him to the Manzini Police station.

This happened before the PUDEMO comrade had been treated for injuries on
his face, head and body.

Dlamini told this newspaper that they were worried that their member
could die if kept in the holding cells and not given the proper treatment.

Police PRO Superintendent Vusi Masuku confirmed the incident and said
the man had been arrested for assaulting a police officer during the
confrontation while another, who is known to the police, is on the run
for the same case of assaulting a police officer.

He explained that the confrontation started after some of the marchers
diverted from their route towards the bus rank, which was not what had
been agreed on. He said the marchers became confrontational when they
were told not to go into the rank as it was a public area and would be
congested. He condemned the looting and vandalising of property, saying
they were hot on the heels of the suspects. He also appealed to the
unions to control their members to ensure that the march was peaceful.

Chaos, mayhem
Stories by Hlengiwe Ndlovu, The Swazi Observer, 26.7.2007

CHAOS was the order of the day yesterday in Manzini as businesses along
Nkoseluhlaza street came to a complete standstill for over two hours
when workers marched and demonstrated along the street.

The srike action, called by three labour unions; Swaziland Federation of
Labour (SFL), Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and Swaziland
National Association of Teachers (SNAT), left some business people
bitterly complaining that it had caused them tremendous losses in their
businesses.

One of the business people affected by the protest action, Saddic who
owns Punchbowl Supermarket situated opposite Bhunu Mall, said the
protest action had subjected him to a very great financial loss.

“My business and others have suffered a great deal because we as
business operators are not part of the strike and yet we have been
affected in a very bad way,” he said, adding that he personally did not
believe in strike actions. Saddic added that he had lost close to E4 000
in the two hours, complaining that no-one would compensate him for this.

The businessman further said he was infuriated by the fact that the
closure of his shop was inevitable as some protesters had attempted to
loot it.

“I had to close down my business because thieves were also taking
advantage of the situation and some of them were caught by the shop
attendants trying to steal items inside the shop,” said Saddic, adding
that even the police failed to contain them.

The businessman said before staging the strike, the labour unions should
have considered its implications and devised a strategy to ensure that
thieves did not take advantage of the situation. “There is no way these
workers can receive sympathy from some circles if there will be people
stealing from our shops whenever there is a protest action,” he said.

The shop owner further said he was also disturbed by the fact that some
of his customers travelled very long distances to Manzini for shopping
and because of the strike, they too were inconvenienced. “Imagine the
confusion that has been created with some people coming from far, only
to find the shops closed here,” said the disgruntled Saddic, adding that
protest actions of this nature were denting the image of the country.

“Swaziland is known as a very peaceful country and what is happening
today affects the way people perceive it.”