Swazi regime under pressure in case of Sipho Jele

By Peter Kenworthy, Communications- and Project Assistant

There have been many developments during the week that has passed since Sipho Jele died in police custody in Swaziland. Most significant is the fact that the Swazi regime has been pressured into holdning an inquest into Sipho Jele’s death, and according to Bongani Masuku of Cosatu, with whom Africa Contact has been in correspondence with, Pudemo has also been able to secure legal assistance for Sipho Jele’s family.

The lawyer has already made possible the identification of Sipho Jele’s body by his family last Saturday as well as ensuring that an foreign independent pathologist performs the autopsy, although the date for the autopsy has not yet been set. It is most likely that these positive developments in an otherwise bleak situation have only come about because of persistent internal and external pressure on the Swazi regime, and the labour movement in Swaziland in the form of Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers are therefore planning a protest march next week to the Prime Minister’s office to keep up this pressure, where they will be joined by other civic organisations and concerned Swazi citizens.