The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) extends its solidarity and encouragement to the Trade Union Federation of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) as they navigate matters of internal democracy. As the saying goes, The Trade Union Movement is a School for Democracy.” The recent adjournment of TUCOSWA’s congress, which was due March 25 -26, along with the reasons articulated by its leadership and affiliates, marks a significant step toward reinforcing democratic principles and practices within the trade union movement in Swaziland.

The responsibility for advancing democracy in Swaziland rests heavily on the shoulders of workers as they strive to build strong unions. Democracy is essential in creating strong unions globally. While many forces within the pro-democracy movement, including the CPS, may lack the space and exposure to fully endorse democratic practices due to their underground status, unions possess the necessary space to foster these ideals and test them in practice and institutionally.

This is why we consider Trade Unions a vital School for democracy — a space where willingly we can all learn and implore as foundation in our commitment to democratic values, principles and practices for the new society we envisage.

The CPS calls for patience and objective commitment to be demonstrated by comrades in TUCOSWA and its affiliates as they pursue these critical values and principles. Acknowledging past challenges, it is essential to abandon unprincipled tendencies and reinforce the foundational principles that will strengthen the Trade Union Movement, our Working-Class reliable force.

We recognize that the environment in which unions operate is often fundamentally anti-democratic. Such conditions can negatively impact unions, leading some leaders to succumb to manipulative practices that breed mistrust among members and within leadership ranks. These and other tendencies must be spelled out with comfort.

The CPS urges all leadership ranks within TUCOSWA affiliates to foster open and robust discussions on these issues. We also call upon the membership to collaborate closely with their leadership during this process. While the pro-democracy movement should support these efforts, it should respect the internal affairs of unions. Encouraging workers’ interests to be at the forefront of all discussions is crucial, as individual interests often pose a significant threat, secondary only to the known threats from class enemies.

We wish TUCOSWA strength as they navigate this journey, viewing each phase as an opportunity for learning. Democracy is established through processes, and the period of adjournment should be utilized effectively, with ongoing engagement encouraged within the ranks.

TUCOSWA is the unity of workers in Swaziland. One important task of a successful TUCOSWA congress should be to make possible the unity of workers across industries and within industries as fragmentation has widened in the recent past.

Workers of Swaziland, Unite!!!

Issued on behalf of CPS Central Committee by:

Contact:

Thokozane Kunene
General Secretary
(+27)72 594 3971

Simphiwe Dlamini
CPS International Secretary
+268 7627 9355