The World Federation of Trade Unions salutes the militant workers and trade unionists of Swaziland who celebrated May Day in Swaziland this year despite the harrasments by the Swazi government and the regime.
The WFTU denounces the efforts of the Swazi regime and the government of Swaziland to obstruct the May Day demonstration organised by TUCOSWA, the Confederation legitimized by the working class of Swaziland and de-register by the government.
After failing to prevent the demonstration by not granting permission to TUCOSWA for the venue it applied for, they continued the harrassment during the demonstration which took place in Manzini.
The police tried to confiscate their TUCOSWA banners and theatened to remove the trade union T-shirts of the demonstrators.
The trade unions continued to demonstrate even after the police provocatively arrested comrade Mazi Mhlanga, the Second Deputy General Secretary of TUCOSWA.
Comrade Mhlanga was released a few hours after the end of the May Day demonstration.