Tucoswa victimised – Vincent

MBABANE – The deregis-tered TUCOSWA believes it is being victimised by government for openly declaring that it was against the 2013 National General Elections.

This is what Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) Secretary General Vincent Ncongwane told Iran Television network, Press TV, in an interview broadcast last week Tuesday. Also featuring in the programme was UK-based Zimbabwean national Fungayi Vincent Mabhunu who is Coordinator for the Swazi Vigil and Mark Beacon who is a UK national and Campaigns Manager for the Action for Southern Africa.

Ncongwane was interviewed telephonically from Swaziland while Fungayi and Beacon were at the station’s studios. He was asked to explain how TUCOSWA was able to function in a country where political parties were banned and freedom of assembly was limited. “It all started when TUCOSWA was launched last year and we decided that we would campaign against the elections set for August 2013. That did not go down well with government and they went to court and made a clever argument that there was no law for provision of registration of trade unions.” Ncongwane said ever since the deregistration, things had been difficult for TUCOSWA.
He was then asked about the role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in as far as trying to solve the problems in Swaziland was concerned.

“The problem has been the backing by Swaziland by the old boys in the SADC bloc. In 2008, Swaziland was made head of the SADC Troika on security and was all over putting out fire in countries such as Madagascar yet Swaziland was itself burning.”

Ncongwane said, however, SADC states were now putting more effort in trying to solve Swaziland’s problems. “We appeal for any move that the international community can have with their governments to force this regime to allow political participation. We believe it is still possible for a peaceful solution to be reached,” Ncongwane said.

… there are too many chronic liars – Percy

MBABANE – Gov-ernment says it is the least surprised by what TUCOSWA has told Press TV.

Percy Simelane, the Government Press Secretary, said there was a ‘sea of cheap audiences’ who believed anything they were told about Swaziland and other countries in the region.

“A number of chronic liars have taken advantage of these sleepy audiences and TUCOSWA does not want to be left out of the race for cheap politics mileage.  “They are also taking advantage of the current shabby journalism boom in that part of the world.”

Simelane said he had the feeling that the Zimbabwean national, Fungayi Vincent Mabhunu, was a survivor of ‘real hardship’ in his country and should consider seeing a doctor.

“The destiny of this country is in the hands of its people and not other nationals or neighbours. Participating in the elections in this country is voluntary.

“We know their threats to campaign against the upcoming elections is a dead story and we will break no sweat over it.
“They have always failed to be meaningful to the people, including their (TUCOSWA) members who have openly threatened not to pay subscriptions anymore,” Simelane disclosed.

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