SOLIDARITY WITH SWAZILAND’S PUDEMO PRESIDENT MLUNGISI MAKHANYA, FOLLOWING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
30 September 2024
The Pan Africanism Today Secretariat strongly condemns the attempted assassination of the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Mlungisi Makhanya, on 24 September 2024 at his home in Pretoria, South Africa. Makhanya, the prominent opposition leader in Swaziland, was poisoned using a pesticide and is currently being treated in a hospital in South Africa. The attempt on Makhanya’s life comes within the context of planned protests next month, which aim to call for multi-party elections.
While we vehemently condemn this assassination attempt on the PUDEMO President, we want to make it clear that this is not an isolated attack on an individual. This latest violent onslaught follows a long string of state repression and human rights violations exercised by the regime on pro-democracy activists. In 2022, Makhanya’s home suffered a targeted arson attack that led to its total destruction. On 21 January 2023, well-known human rights defender and lawyer Thulani Maseko was assassinated at his home in Manzini.
We remember the courageous young people killed by King Mswati’s regime in the 2021 June-July uprisings. We stand with and lift up the names of those political prisoners still unjustly incarcerated to this day for their role in the struggle for freedom in Swaziland. We strongly condemn all attacks, harassment, and intimidation of the people of Swaziland as a blatant violation of fundamental human and political freedoms.
We call on all peace and freedom-loving people to stand in solidarity with PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya, his comrades, and his family during this difficult time. We call on progressive organisations throughout Africa and the world to publish public messages of solidarity with Makhanya and the people of Swaziland, condemning this latest attack.
We reaffirm the resolutions we took in Winneba, Ghana, in 2018 by committing to be in solidarity with the people of Swaziland until they attain their freedom. From Swaziland to Palestine, Sudan to Haiti, Venezuela to Cuba, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Western Sahara and the Chagos Islands, the people will be victorious!
We commit to fighting alongside the pro-democracy, well-known, freedom-loving individuals, and we join all progressive and popular organisations in Swaziland, Africa, and the rest of the world in calling for an end to the repression of citizens and journalists in the country!
A Luta Continua! The struggle continues!
In solidarity,
Pan Africanism Today Secretariat
