Swaziland

Workers agreed to give STEA and the government 48 hours before resuming the strike action. SMAWU President Alex Fakudze explained that workers suspended the strike last week hoping that STEA would be ready to negotiate a better deal, but failed to do so. The meeting held at Salesian sports ground was attended by about five hundred textile workers, mostly women.

Over 16,000, mostly female, workers have been on strike since March 3rd with workers participating in marches confronting police using clubs and teargas. At least a dozen have been reported injured. 93 percent voted for strike action, while six percent voted against and one abstained.

Anarchism in South Africa
An interview with Michael Schmidt of the ZACF
by Alternative Libertaire

Alternative Libertaire: Could you tell briefly in which conditions/context and how Zabalaza, and then the ZACF, were built?

The workers, represented by the Union of Swaziland Conservation Workers, have warned management of a strike if talks on wednesday and thursday failed. The pay rise was recommended by a government watchdog, however management have said there is not enough money to honour the recommendation.

He was among eight Swaziland youth congress (SWAYOCO) members detained by police following a SWAYOCO demonstration in the city of Manzini on Saturday, October 1st.