Times Of Swaziland: MARCH TO PARLY OVER POLICE BRUTALITY, OTHER ISSUES

MARCH TO PARLY OVER POLICE BRUTALITY, OTHER ISSUES
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BY STANLEY KHUMALO on 03/06/2021 08:32:00


LOBAMBA – About 300 protesters yesterday marched to Parliament where they
voiced out their frustration of feeling as though they had no hope and no one to
advance their cause with.
Their cause was said to be seeking justice against alleged police brutality and
other challenges that evolve around human rights and the welfare of students.
This was disclosed by the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students
(SNUS) Colani Maseko. Maseko, when delivering a petition from the protesters,
said since the administration of this country had supposedly shown that it was
not for the people, they had taken matters into their hands in seeking a remedy
for their challenges. He claimed that some Cabinet ministers had made sinister
utterances that their people needed to be silenced using force while some
Members of Parliament (MPs) had publicly turned against the electorate.
Fire
It should be noted that one minister, Prince Simelane, actually said fire should
be fought with fire. Maseko said: “Some MPs are calling those who are seeking
to address challenges that face the citizenry as sell-outs. This has made us
lose hope as there is no one to advance our cause but ourselves.” Maseko said
the past few weeks had been laden with grief and pain from students under the
banner of SNUS as they were all reminded that they were members of the community
before and after being students. The students’ leader said it was for that
reason that the calls for accountability and Justice for Thabani’s case had
escalated beyond UNESWA and students in general to become a national campaign.
“Among the different cadres in our society that joined and lead the campaign,
are fearless members of this Parliament. To them, we want to say, we see you
comrades and we welcome your efforts and resolve. Together we will turn the
tables,” he said. When delivering the petition, Maseko claimed that they
understood that a handful of MPs were in office because they had the genuine
interest of the people at heart. While acknowledging that there were selfless
legislators serving the electorate, Maseko alleged there were also MPs who
joined the politics fray, to line their pockets, entrench corruption and poor
service delivery. “You are sell-outs, we see you, we know you and you too have
messed with the wrong generation, it ends here,” he said.  He said protesters
were in Parliament because of a government and its structures that did not know
of accountability, an integral component of politics.