Five labour leaders were found not guilty of public violence by the Pongola Regional Court on Tuesday after they were arrested at a demonstration at the Swaziland border in April, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said.
They were:
Cosatu’s first deputy president, Joe Nkosi;
Cosatu’s KwaZulu-Natal secretary Zet Luzipo;
The second deputy president of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, Cedric Gina;
The second deputy president of the National Health, Education and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Mzwandile Makwayba; and
Nehawu’s treasurer Trabir Badal.
”They were arrested when they approached the South African Police Service to try to help resolve problems which had arisen at the border demonstration,” said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven.
”Yet they were then arrested, taken to the police station and charged with public violence.”
The demonstration, at Golela, was in support of human rights and trade union freedom in Swaziland.
On Thursday, 21 Cosatu members will appear in court in Nelspruit following another demonstration on the same day — April 12 — at the Malelane border post.
Police opened fire on demonstrators, injuring eight of them, according to Cosatu.
”Cosatu has demanded a top-level investigation into the conduct of the police at the border posts, to establish exactly what happened and who was responsible for the violence and the arrests.”
The protests commemorated Swazi King Sobhuza II’s instituting 33 years ago of a state of emergency still in force now. Political parties are also banned in the kingdom.
Cosatu condemned the police action, saying it reminded them of the tactics of apartheid police. — Sapa