It seems it will take years for the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland(TUCOSWA) and or the Public Sector Association(PSA) to organize a protest march that will eventually liberate workers from oppression under Mswati’s regime.
The recent achievements by the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) should be an eye opener to the Public Sector Associations(PSAs) that as long as these unions obey unjust laws, they will never organize a protest in this country.
As government delays to increase salaries for civil servants, these government employees will eventually struggle to even afford money for bus fare to attend a protest march.
Government was against the establishment of TUCOSWA in the first place and attempts were made to frustrate it from obtaining a registration certificate because the State was intimidated by the unity of workers.
Leaders of TUCOSWA and the PSAs must know that this government always try to make sure they don’t successfully organize a protest march, the courts are even used to frustrate these unions.
Whether a protest or a strike action is legal or not, police always assault and shoot workers, one wonders why these unions allowed themselves to be controlled through unjust laws.
We haven’t seen any protest against the judiciary even though we know that some Judges are always used to stop protests through questionable court orders.
The Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) managed to successfully organise protest actions without seeking permission to march in the cities.
They sparked the revolution through the “justice for Thabani” campaign and these unions were supposed to join and support these protests with their separate demands from Government.
It was Sibongile Mazibuko, the then SNAT President who organized the “Waya-Waya” strike action ten(10) years ago and we are yet to see a protest by the PSAs and TUCOSWA.
PSA, TUCOSWA must learn from Students Union on protests.