Swaziland union leaders freed

By Norm Dixon

@box text intro = As the pro-democracy general strike in Swaziland is set to enter its second month, workers celebrated the release of four senior leaders of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions on February 26. The strike, which began on February 3, has crippled the southern African kingdom's vital sugar and forestry industries.

The SFTU's senior officers -- Jan Sithole, Richard Nxumalo, Jabulani Nxumalo and Themba Msibi -- were arrested on January 30 in an attempt to head off the general strike. They were charged with threatening bus company owners to keep their vehicles off the roads. The leaders were freed after a magistrate found there was no basis to the charges.

A crowd of more than 3000 workers greeted the leaders as they emerged from the court. The trade union leaders said the strike would continue.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has announced the beginning of a blockade of Swaziland beginning March 3.

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