The Organisation of Africa Trade Union Unity (OATUU) has come out to condemn the continued violation of workers' rights by the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Through its President, Francis Atwoli, the union has termed the acts by the regime to harass and intimidate unionists as barbaric and of criminal nature.
"When we are demanding our rights. We are not thieves, we are not terrorists...We were elected to do our work," Atwoli retorted.
The COTU-K secretary general made the remarks during the OATUU 50th anniversary in Ghana.
It was themed “Fidelity, Unite and Action for A Decent Life for African Worker.”
According to the official, Africa has made great strides in terms of democracy and any move to reverse the gains through such flagrant acts ought to be strongly rejected.
Some other officials, he said, have been arrested for leading demonstrations.
"Africa has come from far, if we have any region or country that still victimises, harasses or intimidates workers, it must be condemned," he stated.
The banning of public gatherings and the killing of more than 80 protesters in the last year by security, he noted, is "not what should happen in this era".
He regretted the recent issuance of a "warrant of arrest" to the secretary general of a Union.
This is after a directive where the official asked its members to boycott work last December in demand for wages and improvement of work conditions.
The monarch of Eswatini, King Mswati III, continues to 'crush' anyone protesting the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
There are several laws in place which severely restrict freedom of expression and association, including the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938, which continues to be invoked, the Public Order Act of 1963, and the Suppression of Terrorism Act, of 2008.
In addition, the State of Emergency, which was declared in 1973 remains in effect and suspends constitutional freedoms.
In 2014, the Government tabled legislation to dissolve all workers’ and employers’ federations in Swaziland, including the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland.
In 2019, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) president was fired from his teaching position for attending a union meeting.
SNAT is a member of the organisation of Education International.
In October 2021, teachers and public sector workers were attacked while they were delivering a petition to the Municipal Council of the capital city, appealing for decent working conditions, a salary review, and basic trade union rights.
Security has been accused of being behind the brutal murder of Thulani Maseko, a human and trade union rights lawyer.
It has also been cited for the forced exile of Sticks Nkambule and Mbongwa Dlamini, both leading representatives of trade unions in Eswatini.