PUDEMO, CPS, SWALIMO clashed during TUCOSWA’s May Day celebration, members rushed to hospital

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PUDEMO, CPS, SWALIMO clashed during TUCOSWA’s May Day celebration, members rushed to hospital
PUDEMO, CPS, SWALIMO clashed during TUCOSWA’s May Day celebration, members rushed to hospital

Africa-Press – Eswatini. Bheki Mamba, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland(TUCOSWA) has confirmed that political parties clashed during the Workers May Day celebration in Manzini on Sunday.

The TUCOSWA President said the chaos erupted after various political parties under the Political Parties Assembly(PPA) were given a platform to address the workers but the Swaziland Liberation Movement(SWALIMO) did not show up, only to disrupt the proceedings thereafter.

“We gave a platform to all political parties to address the workers but SWALIMO did not come to the stage. Thereafter, while our Secretary General was speaking, SWALIMO members started a song and disrupted the proceedings, they were complaining that they were not given a platform to speak”, said the TUCOSWA President.

SWALIMO Spokesperson Thandaza Silolo said the chaos was caused by the exclusion of his organization from the list of speakers.

“We were told that only the PPA and MSF would speak but all the political parties ended-up speaking, only SWALIMO was excluded. What made matters worse, SUDF was a given platform to speak yet it is affiliated under MSF like SWALIMO”, said the SWALIMO Spokesperson.

On another note, members of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) allegedly clashed with the Communist Party of Swaziland(CPS).

Reached for comments, Wandile Dludlu, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) confirmed the eruption of the chaos but blamed the Communist Party for instigating it.

“The Communist Party has a program of fighting PUDEMO after they lost TUCOSWA and SNUS elections, they claim PUDEMO is dominating the political space. So they took advantage after SWALIMO complained that they were excluded from the list of speakers and started the chaos”, said the PUDEMO Secretary General.

Reached for comments, Pius Vilakati, the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) Spokesperson urged TUCOSWA to remain an independent workers federation, he denied that their members caused a chaos.

“Our members did not cause any chaos, they were seated together in a group. The chaos was caused by the issue of speakers and we urge TUCOSWA to remain an independent workers federation,” said the CPS Spokesperson.

It has been disclosed that a statement made by PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya did not go down well with other political activists.

The PUDEMO President allegedly came hard on potlical leaders who fled the country in fear of being arrested saying the struggle cannot be led by people who are afraid of going to jail.

When asked to clarify this, PUDEMO Secretary General said their President was spot on when he made the statement.

“Our President did not mention any name but he was spot on, we don’t want people who will tell us to go to a war while they are safe wherever they are. We maintain that the struggle needs brave leaders not those who flee for safety and then tell us go to a war,” said the PUDEMO Secretary General.

On another note, the members of the various political parties who were injured were rushed to hospital by PUDEMO’s Penuel Malinga and Wandile Dludlu.

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