S/African union organises protest marches against Swazi, Zimbabwean leaders
Posted by African Press International on August 17, 2008
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) led a march against the participation of the Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and King Mswati of Swaziland in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit being held in Sandton, Johannesburg on Saturday.
A declaration made by Zimbabwean and Swaziland civil society delegates at a solidarity conference organised by Cosatu and held on August 10-11 read: “We hold dear the firm view that Robert Mugabe and Mswati III are not legitimate leaders of their various countries.
“They cannot claim any amount of legitimacy to rule their countries, for they have not been democratically elected by the peoples of their countries.
“Therefore, as representatives of civil society, we condemn the behaviour of these two leaders and take it upon ourselves to expose them and their unacceptable behaviour before the eyes of the world,” the declaration read.
Zimbabwean organisations which took part in the march included the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the Revolutionary Youth of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, the Zimbabwe Exiles and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition.
The Swazi organisations which took part in the march were the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, the Swaziland United Democratic Front, the Swaziland Federation of Labour, the Swaziland Youth Congress and the People’s United Democratic Movement.
There were also South African organisations that took part in the march, and they included the Treatment Action Campaign and the Anti-Privatisation Forum.
Sandton police spokesperson Constable Neria Malefetse said there had been no reports of incidents during the march.
Police officers were monitoring the march to ensure that it was peaceful and that everyone was safe, she said.
————-
API/SourceAPA
