30 June 2021

Yesterday, Tuesday 29 June 2021, Mswati’s government intensified its censorship drive by shutting down the internet in Swaziland and unleashed its military on the masses, aiming to quell the Democracy Now protests in the country.

The regime used the internet blackout to invade people’s homes, randomly assault, shoot and kill people, hoping the attacks would not be detected.

By late last night, at least five people were certified dead at the Mbabane Government Hospital. Over 50 were admitted with gunshot wounds inflicted by the police and military.

The Mbabane hospital casualty ward's floors and walls continue to be filled with blood of activists as a result of last night's attacks by Mswati's security forces in Mbabane and surrounding areas.

In Nhlangano town last night, the military killed one person and injured at least four including a child of about nine years old.

Nurses from the Manzini Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital report that this morning they received three cases of protesters who died after getting shot by the military during the Tuesday night protests in Matsapha. Many more have been admitted with grievous gunshot wounds inflicted by the military.

At least five people have been confirmed dead following attacks by the military during the Manzini-Matsapha protests since last night.

In a bid to conceal the increasing number of deaths, Mswati’s military dumped some of the murdered protesters in the fire that was burning at the Swaziland Beverages Company in Matsapha. The military is doing all it can to conceal evidence of its brutal murders.

In Mankayane, five have been confirmed dead, shot by the military.

Early this morning, the military was also involved in the shooting of protesters in Ezulwini community, next to the capital city Mbabane. The shootings were indiscriminate. Protesters were shot in their lower and upper bodies.

On Monday night, Mswati’s military shot and killed a young protester. The military also shot and heavily wounded others in Matsapha on Monday.

Despite the regime’s brutality, the people remain undeterred in the quest for freedom.

Tinkhundla structures and businesses linked to Mswati have been torched. These include tinkhundla structures in Lubulini (Lubombo region), Somtongo (Shiselweni region), Ndzingeni (Hhohho region) and Mahlangatja (Manzini region), among many others.

Many more protesters have been brutalised by the military and the police. The full picture will come clearer only when Swaziland is free where the perpetrators will face justice.

Communist Party activists on the ground continue to mobilise the masses for the total overthrow of the absolute monarchy, the last one in Africa.

The Communist Party of Swaziland calls for international working-class solidarity with the people of Swaziland in the fight for freedom. The Party also calls upon the trade union movement in Swaziland to play a direct role in the protests and strengthen the revolution.

The monarch, in its totality, must be uprooted and dumped into the dustbin of history! It has no role to play in the future of the people of Swaziland.

ISSUED BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SWAZILAND