Killed for wearing his PUDEMO T-shirt

PUDEMO Media Release, 5 May 2010

Killed for wearing his PUDEMO T-shirt

The royal security agents in Swaziland have done it again


We report with great grief to all our comrades both at home and internationally that Comrade Sipho Jele has died, as usual in the hands of the police. Cde Sipho was detained on Workers Day for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt in Manzini. Subsequently, the police took him to his home in Ncabaneni looking for his membership card and returned with him to custody. On the following day, Tuesday morning the police officers returned to report to his grandmother that he has died by coomiting suicide while in custody. We know this is incorrect. A lot of people in Swaziland have died in the hands of the police and fictitious stories fabricated. And the police were ordering the old woman to bury the comrade on the same day, Tuesday.

Next they will bribe the poor family to fabricate a story on Sipho's death which shall be in favour of the regime and its killer security agents. If they fail, they shall threaten the old lady with a lot of fearful things including being evicted from her home area.

The Swaziland royal regime has always been giving the international community the wrong information that political dissenters are not imprisoned, harrassed and killed. And that Swaziland is a peaceful country. But here is a political activist getting killed for attending Workers Day and wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt. These are the same tactics that were used during apartheid South Africa to silence political activists. It is high time the international community, especially SADC genuinely take up the issue of Swaziland. How many innocent people must die before the regional leadership comes out openly to condemn the Swaziland regime and demand for democratization? Do we need to experience massive deaths like it is happening in other countries to get the international community to act?

Cde Sipho is a former worker at Usuthu Pulp. He was currently among the 2006 awaiting treason trialists. He was also in the process of furthering himself academically. PUDEMO and its Youth League have lost a hard working and committed comrade in Sipho. May his soul rest in peace! He has not died in vain, but for the freedom and liberation of our oppressed masses under the arrogant tinkhundla royal regime.

Contacts

Head of Publicity

+268 607 3453
Manzini

Mario Masuku is free!

The trial of Mario Masuku ended today about 5 hours after it had begun.

The Court could see through the three false witnesses and called the whole thing off while all had expected the hearing to last at least four days.

Jubliant PUDEMO members went to greet their President at the Matsapha Prison, where Mario Masuku had been kept. Now there are reports that Wandile Dludlu, President of PUDEMO's youth wing SWAYOCO, has been harassed and tortured while waiting to see the release of Mario Masuku.

The trial begins

This morning the Trial of President Mario Masuku has begun at High Court in Mbabane.

The court room is packed and many outside can not get in.

PUDEMO members were shouting VIVA PUDEMO and were threatened with arrest if they continued to do so.

One PUDEMO member has been arrested for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt.

Two members of the American Embassy are present.

It is unclear at this point which foreign media networks are present.

SWAYOCO President tortured

SWAYOCO President, Wandile Dludlu, has been detained, tortured and injured by state police today as he returned to Swaziland after coming from the COSATU border blockade at Oshoek.

He is being taken to hospital as he is badly hurt.

Swaziland Youth Congress turns 18!

Today, Saturday August 8th, PUDEMO's youth wing, the Swaziland Youth Congress will be turning 18 years old.

To commemorate this day SWAYOCO shall be at Matsapha, in the eviction threatened areas, as a sign of continued solidarity with the oppressed masses of our country.

VIVA SWAYOCO VIVA!

News coming out from the Court case of Mario Masuku and Amos Mbedzi

SSN update.

Message 1:
"Am with Mario Masuku and Amos Mbedzi here in court. Mario says I must tell you all that change will come, he will hang in there till you people rise up and say enough is enough."

Message 2:
"The President was defiant and he shouted VIVA and the over 100 people who turned up at the court were ecstatic....Mario was in high spirit and Mbedzi pleaded not guilty. He even did a little toyi-toyi in his leg irons. Am inspired."

These statements are all by our comrades inside court.

Viva the People's President Mario Masuku Viva
and
Viva to our Internationalist Amos Mbenzi Viva

Amandlanessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

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.