The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and organisations from Zimbabwe and Swaziland led a march in Johannesburg on Saturday against Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and Swazi King Mswati III.
The march was held to oppose these leaders’ participation in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said marchers had arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre where the summit was being held, and were holding a meeting outside.
”It’s going very well,” he said.
A declaration made by Zimbabwean and Swaziland civil society delegates at a solidarity conference on August 10 and 11, organised by Cosatu, read: ”We hold dear the firm view that Robert Mugabe and Mswati III are not legitimate leaders of their various countries.
”They cannot claim any amount of legitimacy to rule their countries, for they have not been democratically elected by the peoples of their countries.
”Therefore, as representatives of civil society, we condemn the behaviour of these two leaders and take it upon ourselves to expose them and their unacceptable behaviour before the eyes of the world,” the declaration read.
Zimbabwean organisations that took part in the march included the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Revolutionary Youth of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, Zimbabwe Exiles and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition.
Organisations from Swaziland that took part in the march were the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, the Swaziland United Democratic Front, the Swaziland Federation of Labour, the Swaziland Youth Congress and the People’s United Democratic Movement.
From South Africa, the Treatment Action Campaign and the Anti-Privatisation Forum joined in the march.
Sandton police spokesperson Constable Neria Malefetse said there had been no reports of incidents during the march. Officers were monitoring proceedings to ensure that it was peaceful, she said. — Sapa