BOKSBURG: Leaders of the pro-democracy movement gathered at Boksburg, South Africa to strategize on how to intensify the struggle for democracy in Swaziland(eSwatini).
The meeting took place in the neighboring country on Friday 03 December to Sunday 05 December 2021, due to the lack of freedom of association in eSwatini, political parties are banned and King Mswati normally deploys his security forces to disrupt such meetings.
“We, the representatives of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) of Swaziland, convened by the Letfu Sonkhe Institute of Strategic Thinking and Development (Letfu Sonkhe), and led by the Multi-Stakeholders’ Forum (MSF) and the Political Parties Assembly (PPA), congregated in Boksburg, Johannesburg, South Africa from the 3rd – 5th December to reflect on the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the SADC facilitated dialogue process and the state of the Swazi struggle; Recognizing the watershed and historic juncture at which our long struggle for the democratisation of our country is at, and understanding the urgency of this task in firmly placing the country on a pedestal of self-determination through a democratically elected peoples’ government”, read the Boksburg Declaration in part.
The political leaders said they were encouraged by the resolute, unwavering,vibrant and activist spirit of our people in their calls for freedom from royal supremacy that has shackled them for the past 49 years of the Tinkhundla system of government since the illegal and unilateral abrogation of the Independence Constitution of 1968 on the 12th April 1973 by King Sobhuza II.
“Humbled and driven forward by the spirit of the ultimate sacrifice of the martyrs of our revolution who have been senselessly and brutally slaughtered by the government of King Mswati III;Galvanized by the radical energy and determination of our young people, and catapulted by the spirit of Thabani Nkomonye towards a course of irreversible victory for our people;Applauding the resilient and tenacious commitment of our women, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups in standing on the right side of history in supporting the calls for the democratisation of the country;
Inspired by the selflessness of our incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube as well as Amos Mbedzi and all other political prisoners; further inspired by the resolute tenacity of our exiled Member of Parliament, Mduduzi “Magawugawu” Simelane, firebrand journalist, Zweli Martin Dlamini, and all political exiles”, the declaration states.
Pro-democracy leaders gathered at Boksburg, South Africa.