Sticks Nkambule - Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU)
Fuentes
Sticks Nkambule is the Secretary General of the Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU). On December 29, 2022, armed police officers allegedly invaded the village homestead of Nkambule, without announcing the intentions of their invasion, and harassed Nkambule’s family, specifically his parents and members of the community. The police were alleged to have pounced and questioned every relative of Nkambule, purporting to be searching for him. This followed the union’s announcement of a “job stay away” to take place on 13-14 December 2022, with a demand to improve working conditions and the release from prison of two members of the Eswatini Parliament, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. Several members of the union, which represents over 3,000 of the roughly 5,000 transport workers, were reportedly shot, abducted, and tortured by security forces during a previous action in November. Nkambule was previously threatened with legal action on 7 December, 2022.