Thabani’s death ignited change movements – speakers
PUDEMO PRESIDENT MLUNGISI MAKHANYA
“On behalf of PUDEMO, we are sending our heartfelt condolences to the Nkomonye family and thank them for agreeing to be the face of police brutality in the country. We cannot forget the long list of activists who were died in the hands of the police. The time has come for us to confront the Tinkhundla system of governance at its door steps. Since many people have been wondering why I am not getting arrested, today I will be in the forefront of the march to deliver a petition to the police, but I will follow the instructions of SNUS marshals. As leaders of different political parties, we need to be on the forefront and march side by side in order to show the world that the Workers Day feud is over. We will lead the march because we want the world to see what we are dealing with in the country. What we will do today and what we will agree to do on Sunday (tomorrow), will give the incarcerated MPs hope after the disappointment of Thursday in court, where as mass democratic movement they hoped that they would be released on bail, but that did not happen.”
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SWALIMO DEPUTY SECRETARY GIFT DLAMINI
“I stand here to represent a political organisation that was born in part through the death of Thabani Nkomonye. His death was the sparked that ignited the fire in part to the formation of SWALIMO and the revolution in general. SWALIMO is pleading with the mass democratic movement to unite in diversity and forge a way forward. The denial of the bail of MPs is one unifying factor. Apart from Nkomonye, let us remember the June 2021 uprising comrades who were maimed that now are without limbs because of this regime. Remember the elderly that are dying daily because of poor service delivery. Remember the students who are without allowances for the longest time. This fight needs us not to forget any of the above and more. SWALIMO puts it on record that the inquest results are not welcomed.”
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SNUS PRESIDENT COLANI MASEKO
“This is a historical and emotional day because we celebrate a life of a young man whose death played a major role in the struggle of democracy in the country. It will break my heart if the police will do what they did during Nkomonye’s memorial service at St Pauls Methodist Sports Ground when we march to the police regional headquarters in Manzini. As students and members of the mass democratic movement, just like the Nkomonye family, we reject the report about the inquest into his death. He said they were of the view that it was fabricated. The release of the two incarcerated
members of Parliament (MPs) and all political prisoners together with the return of political activists, who are in exile, is in our hands.”
SNAT PRESIDENT MBONGWA DLAMINI
“Almost the same time when he lost his son last year (May 8, 2021), the mother of Thabani Nkomonye was robbed a car this year (May 9, 2022). To this who did this, they should know that the Nkomonye was part of the mass democratic movement and this means they have touched us. They should bring the car back immediately. We thank SNUS to live up to the slogan that an injury to one was an injury to all as they marched from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Kwaluseni Campus to Matsapha Police Station and then to Manzini Police Regional Headquarters to demand justice for Thabani. This was historic and it showed that the students are willing to work for the struggle. However, we will not forget that in the process, a bystander lost his eye after he was shot by the police by Manzini Nazarene Traffic Lights, who were blocking the students from reaching Manzini Police Regional Headquarters. Again, during the deceased’s memorial service, police fired teargas and thereafter, three students were
arrested, who are still out on bail. We will escalate the call for justice for Thabani (Nkomonye). We also like to thank the mass democratic movement for showing unity.”
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NNLC PRESIDENT SIBONGILE MAZIBUKO;
“What we should appreciate about the death of Nkomonye is that his blood bought our freedom. This is because from the day we stood up to demand answers about the death of Nkomonye, we decided to exercise our rights and freedoms to voice our concerns and gather to demonstrate. We will leave no stone unturned as we want to know who took Nkomonye’s eyes because according to evidence that was delivered during the inquest in to his death, his family discovered that his body did not have eye when they wanted to cut his dreadlocks. Now we have reached the stage where we need to fight because if we fail to do so, we will lose our lives and not attain the freedom we want. Each one of you (attendees) should bring 10 others on Sunday (tomorrow) to participate in the PPA mass meeting. This is where we will map a way forward we will free emaSwati from Tinkhundla system of governance. This will lead to the greatest march, greatest disorder to liberate the country.”
TUCOSWA 2ND DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL SIKELELA DLAMINI:
“This day and event should be taken as a campaign for democracy. We can talk about students’ allowances, workers’ salaries and other things, but the time has come to confront the root cause of the above issues, which was the Tinkhundla system of governance. The education and health sectors in the country are collapsing because of the supposedly weak government. As a federation, we are preparing for a mass protest action which will be aimed at collapsing the economy of the economy. From now on, we implore that from now, every action that will be called by any of the movements, should be attended by the others in order to speed up the process of attaining democracy.
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MSF BARNES DLAMINI
“Those who started the struggle have done their part and it is time for the youth to lead the mass democratic movement in the struggle for democracy. As MSF, we want to see the country better, thus the will be part of every activity that would be aimed at making the nation a better place to live. We are tired of hosting commemorations, now is time to turn the tables around by not allowing more
activities to be killed as it happened in June and July 2021.”
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EFF SWAZILAND STUDENTS COMMAND
“The time has come for us as the youth of the country to take the lead in the struggle. For those who did not know in May and June 2021 Thabani (Nkomonye) gave us a signal on what we should do. Even now, we praying that he gives us a signal on what we should do. As we are planning to march to deliver a petition to the police, if we decided to follow the rules of the Tinkhundla system of governance, we will not win the battle. Let us ask ourselves why we should follow the rules of the system when we say its time is over. It is time to use our own rules as we fight for a democratic government. We call for unity within the pro-democracy movement. The time for political parties to compete against each other has not come yet. This should happen after we have achieved our main goal of democracy. It is public knowledge that political parties have different ideologies, but as the struggle is still ongoing, we should remain united against the enemy.”
SUDF NATIONAL ORGANISER THEMBA MABUZA:
“This youth is the last generation
to be oppressed. It is good to pray, but the Bible says; “God help those who help themselves”. So, as mass democratic movement we should launch programmes where we will escalate the call for democracy in the country. I am saying this because by the look of things, the enemy would never be in a position to sit down and talk with us, thus as SUDF (Swaziland United Democratic Front), we call for the escalation of protest actions in the country. We will always participate in any activity whose aim was to fight for democracy and I urge other mass democratic movements to do likewise.”
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CPS DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MXOLISI NGCAMPHALALA
“We call for honesty in the struggle so that we can be united as emaSwati and the mass democratic movement. Our future is in a democratic Eswatini, thus they should escalate the call for democracy so that we do not fight for it, but live and enjoy it.”
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sWADepA
“Between June 28 and 29 2021, dozens of people died and that attracted the attention of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika, such that its leader, South African
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the country and the nation was promised that after Incwala ceremony, there would be dialogue. However, to date no talks had been held and even someone, who is a slow learner, can see what is happening.”
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EFF SWAZILAND PRESIDENT NOMBULELO MOTSA
“The death of Thabani Nkomonye led us where we are. We are once again sending our heartfelt condolences to the Nkomonye family and apologise for always talking about their loved one in our activities. This is because his death opened the eyes of many emaSwati and for that reason, the struggle for democracy in on another level now.”
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SPLM THEMBA DLAMINI
“We are not happy with the report of the inquest of Thabani Nkomonye, which means we are stilling demanding justice for Thabani. We will launch programmes to demand arrest of members of State security organs who killed dozens of emaSwati during the June/July 2021 unrest. Again, as mass democratic movements, we should launch programmes which would ensure that there is no peace in the country until the incarcerated MPs are released from prison.”