PUDEMO President to have pre-trial hearing this week

Scheduled for 9:00 AM Friday Aug 7, 2009 is the pre-trial hearing for Mario Masuku, PUDEMO's President.

South African national, Amos Mbedzi, is also to have his pre-trial conference on the same day.

These pre-trial conferences will be attended by High Court Registrar Lorraine Hlophe who today said that the trials will begin in September when the second session of the High Court starts.

2nd Regional Congress

PUDEMO Media Alert

Issued :28 July 2009

The People’s United Democratic Movement of Swaziland will be holding its 2^nd Regional Congress in South Africa on the weekend of 2^nd August. Delegates to this congress will be coming from branches of PUDEMO in South Africa : Nelspruit, Barberton , Witbank, Ermelo, Durban , Pietermaritzburg, Stanger, Springs, Germiston, Vaal, Carletonville, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Rustenburg.

In the era of the Suppression of Terrorism Act 2008, intensified repression by the Swazi royal regime; and the continued harassment of members of the movement, there is an even greater need to build a strong PUDEMO outside the borders of the country, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate inside Swaziland . This congress is in line with the programme released earlier in the year which demands that all regions of PUDEMO must go to their congresses by the end of July 2009.

The congress is organised by an NEC Task Team which is led by the Secretary General of PUDEMO cde Sphasha Dlamini and will be addressed by the Deputy President cde Skhumbuzo Phakathi.

A number of allied organisations have been invited to enrich discussions.

Some of the major issues to be dealt with include:

Release Mario Masuku Campaign

Building a strong SA region of PUDEMO- responding to the new terrain

Intensification of international work

For more information contact the PUDEMO Head of Publicity

Zakhele Mabuza on differmab@yahoo.co.uk

268 607 3453

The deepening political crisis in Swaziland

Centre for Strategic and Popular Initiatives (CSPI) Seminar

Hear Swazi human rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko


He is also legal representative for Jailed PUDEMO President, Mario Masuku and has just recently been released from jail. Therefore, he will take us through the situation inside and outside jail under the draconian Suppression of Terrorism Law in Swaziland


Date: 23rd July, 2009
Venue: COSATU House, 10th floor
Time: 10h00


The Deputy President of PUDEMO, Sikhumbuzo Phakathi shall also take us through PUDEMO’s Plan for the liberation of Swaziland, including the release of PUDEMO President, Mario Masuku

For more details contact: 073 142 7594

PUDEMO Day 2009

PUDEMO DAY

It is that time of the year when PUDEMO marks its birth.

It is now 26 years that the movement was born and has continued to wage the struggle for democratic transformation in Swaziland irrespective of the prevailing hostile and oppressive conditions which we are subjected to.

On Saturday, 4 July 2009 PUDEMO will be marking this important day in the life of the people’s struggle under the theme:

Re- affirming PUDEMO’s commitment to fight for a peaceful transition to democracy – demanding a better life for all the people of Swaziland .

We shall further reactivate the RELEASE MARIO MASUKU campaign to give it an improved visibility both domestically and internationally.

Venue: Manzini

Time: 11 am

Friends and allies of PUDEMO, together with the entire mass democratic movement in Swaziland are invited to be part of this important activity.

We shall stand by our people until final victory!

PUDEMO International Relations

C/O Head of Publicity

+268 607 3453

+27 73 142 7594

+27 82 923 1401

PUDEMO member killed by police

We are very sorry to inform readers of the news that a PUDEMO member* has been killed by the police.

When the police came to raid him on Saturday last week, he ran out of the building.

The police then shot him and claimed that they had found some dagga in the house.

There is a protest march planned for tomorrow in Big Bend to protest the killing.

On this 16th day of June, 33 years after the youth of Soweto defiantly challenged the ruling apartheid regime, we are saddened over another tragedy in Swaziland. Yet we are certain victory is for the people and our martyrs will not be forgotten.


*[Name will be released after family has been fully notified.]

Bail for Advocate Maseko

(Photo: Lawyer Thulani Maseko with PUDEMO President Mario Masuku.)

Advocate Thulani Maseko appeared in the High Court of Swaziland today.

He was admitted E15,000 (US$1500-1700) bail and released.

Lawyer of PUDEMO President Arrested

The Swazi regime has gone mad beyond recovery!

Advocate Thulani Maseko, lawyer of PUDEMO President was arrested yesterday on charges of TERRORISM!

This is a clear indication that the Swazi regime wants to do away with all human rights activists.

Thulani Maseko is a founding member of the Swaziland Association of Students, former president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of Swaziland, former Secretary General of PUDEMO, founding member of Lawyers for Human Rights Swaziland, founding member and chairperson of the National Constitutional Assembly.

He has represented many comrades in their legal battles against the regime including the successful case by the ex-miners in which the court ruled in favour of the people for free education.

Advocate Maseko is a well respected lawyer around the world, having been recently invited by the Foreign affairs Minister in the UK and the EU to state the case for Swaziland.

It is not clear as yet where he is kept and what is happening to him.

But we fear for his life.


PUDEMO International Relations
c/o Head of Publicity
Manzini, Swaziland

cell numbers
268-607-3453 (Swaziland)
27-73-142-7594 (South Africa)
27-82-923-1401 (South Africa)