BANNING WORKERS DAY EXPOSES THE MONARCHY’S FEAR OF A UNITED WORKING CLASS

The decision by King Mswati’s government to ban May Workers Day celebrations has once again exposed the true nature of the Tinkhundla system: a political order that fears organised workers, fears dissent, and fears any gathering of citizens demanding their rights.

In a strongly worded statement, Penuel Malinga, Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), condemned the government’s actions after authorities prevented workers affiliated to the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) from commemorating International Workers Day. Police were deployed to Hlathikhulu to disperse workers and stop the celebrations from taking place.

For many observers, this was not simply a dispute over a public gathering. It was yet another attack on freedom of association, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression in a country where democratic rights remain severely restricted.

International Workers Day is recognized across the world as a celebration of the struggles, sacrifices, and achievements of workers. In democratic societies, workers gather openly to discuss wages, working conditions, labour rights, and economic justice. In Eswatini, however, even celebrating workers has become a threat to the state.

According to PUDEMO, the banning of the event is part of a long-standing campaign to weaken and silence organised labour.

“This shameful decision is not an isolated incident, but a continuation of a long-standing pattern of repression directed at the working class and its organised formations,” said Malinga.

His statement cuts to the heart of the issue. The monarchy understands that workers represent one of the most powerful forces for social and political change. Throughout history, labour movements have played central roles in struggles against oppression, inequality, and authoritarian rule.

That is precisely why organised workers are viewed with suspicion by the Tinkhundla establishment.

For decades, trade unions in Eswatini have faced harassment, restrictions, intimidation, and interference. Workers seeking better wages and improved working conditions are often treated as enemies of the state rather than citizens exercising legitimate democratic rights.

The deployment of police officers to stop workers from celebrating an internationally recognised day demonstrates just how insecure the system has become.

A government confident in its legitimacy does not fear workers gathering peacefully.

A government confident in its policies does not fear speeches, banners, or labour meetings.

A government confident in its future does not deploy police to suppress workers celebrating their own contributions to society.

The ban comes amid a broader crackdown on trade union leaders and pro-democracy activists. Reports surrounding the alleged abduction and torture of Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Lot Vilakati have heightened concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

These developments paint a troubling picture of a state increasingly relying on intimidation rather than dialogue.

PUDEMO also used the moment to reaffirm solidarity with TUCOSWA and workers across the country, urging trade unions and civil society organisations to unite against repression.

The call for unity is significant. One of the monarchy’s most effective survival strategies has been to divide opposition groups, labour organisations, and civil society movements. Fragmentation weakens resistance and allows those in power to maintain control.

As PUDEMO correctly noted, a fragmented labour movement serves the interests of oppression.

The deeper problem, however, extends beyond the banning of a single event. The incident reflects a political system fundamentally uncomfortable with independent centres of power outside the monarchy.

Political parties remain banned from participating in elections. Public demonstrations face severe restrictions. Journalists operate under constant pressure. Human rights defenders face harassment. Trade unions are treated as security threats rather than social partners.

The result is a society where citizens are expected to remain silent while decisions affecting their lives are made without their participation.

The banning of Workers Day celebrations should concern every Liswati, not only union members. When workers lose their right to organise, all citizens lose an important layer of protection against abuse of power.

The struggle for workers’ rights has always been linked to the broader struggle for democracy. That is why the monarchy fears organised labour. A conscious and united working class asks difficult questions about inequality, accountability, corruption, and political power.

And those are precisely the questions the Tinkhundla system does not want answered.