The struggle for democracy in Swaziland is becoming increasingly violent, reports Ruaridh Nicoll in Mbabane
INTERNATIONAL trade union leaders flew out of Swaziland this week threatening to blockade the kingdom unless its monarch, King Mswati III, releases four of their colleagues from prison and reforms the archaic system of government.
Four union leaders were jailed for intimidation following a strike lasting nearly three weeks. The courts passed a law after they were arrested, preventing them from being bailed.
Among the detained is Jani Sithole, general secretary of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions.
Swaziland is the only “absolute” monarchy left in sub-Saharan Africa. Mswati III rules through family and friends, maintaining his reign by refusing to allow the formation of political parties. Only the king’s mother, the “Indlovukati” or “Great She-Elephant”, has the power to veto his decisions.
“In the bad old days of apartheid South Africa and the terrible war in Mozambique, Swaziland was looked upon as a calm place,” one resident said. “Now it sticks out like a sore thumb.”
Even Nelson Mandela is losing patience with what is now seen as a regional embarrassment. Last week he called the situation in his tiny neighbour “explosive”.
On Tuesday an American delegate from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions stood in the courthouse in the city of Manzini, watching in amazement as the four union leaders’ trial failed to start. The prisoners had been driven to the wrong court.
The Swazi union federation called the strike to try to force the government to introduce democracy. It has presented 27 demands to the government, including an end to the 24-year state of emergency, and makes a thinly veiled reference to corruption among the ruling class.
Although the king often appears at the royal kraal dressed traditionally in a cloak and feathers, he spends more time in his palaces with his six wives.
He is still liked by the majority of his subjects. Even the reformers only want his position to change from an absolute to constitutional monarch.
There have been rumours that the king was not informed about the arrests before they occurred, that they were actually carried out by a couple of lackeys. But workers do not allow that to excuse the police shooting and wounding six strikers in Big Bend earlier this month.
One striker unwrapped a piece of cloth to reveal empty cartridges. “Do they look like rubber bullets?” he asked, refuting police claims.
One of the federation’s national executive members, Moses Bhembe, said he saw signs of compromise in the king. “Last week he went to Pretoria to meet Mandela.”
Mandela is thought to have told the king that if he released the four, he need not worry about a boycott by South African trade unions. The king then offered the union leaders a deal where they would be released if they ended the strike, but they rejected it.
With each successive strike violence has increased and now business leaders are worried that irretrievable damage will be inflicted upon the Swazi economy.