Eswatini Bans May Day Rally, Union Heads to Court

In Eswatini, the spirit of Workers' Day has been met with a heavy hand of authority, as the government has outright banned the May Day celebration planned by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA). This move has ignited a tense standoff, with labour leaders decrying the decision as an infringement on fundamental workers' rights.

TUCOSWA insists it adhered strictly to the Public Order Act, providing more than the required notice for the event at Hlathikhulu Central High School sports ground. However, the Regional Administrator's subsequent objection, based on a dubious claim of traditional leadership jurisdiction, effectively scuttled the union's plans. This maneuver appears to be a clear attempt to stifle organized labour and suppress dissent, a tactic not unfamiliar in the kingdom.

Despite a setback in the Shiselweni Magistrate Court, which dismissed their urgent application on procedural grounds, TUCOSWA remains undeterred. The federation is consulting legal experts and plans to raise the issue with international stakeholders. This ban is not merely about a May Day rally; it is a symptom of a broader struggle for democratic space and the right to assembly in Eswatini, a struggle that the kingdom's workers will continue to wage.

“

The May Day celebration remains banned and prohibited by the authorities.