Communist Party of Swaziland: Statement on the attack of Swazi truck drivers on South African roads

Rioters in South Africa. Pic from Standard Media

The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) condemns xenophobic attacks and threats directed at Swazi truck drivers on South African roads particularly in the Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. These attacks have an innate link with the xenophobic violence directed generally against foreign nationals across South Africa and have nothing to do with resolving the real problem afflicting the working class in Africa, generally, and South Africa, particularly.

With the same intensity, the CPS also condemns xenophobic attacks against all foreign nationals.

The problem of xenophobic attacks, by no means an inherently and exclusively South African problem, must be studied from its roots, lest solutions become a mere façade and cover-up over a festering wound. Such attacks contribute to the decay of the unity of the working class while at the same time ensuring maximum profits for capital.

The ultimate aim of capitalism is nothing but the maximisation of profit at whatever cost. This is the reason why trucking companies in South Africa, in their drive to force down production costs and maximise profits, always aim to hire labour power at its lowest cost possible. Foreign nationals, particularly those who hail from war-torn countries and those from countries which have political and economic crises, including Swaziland, are the most vulnerable in this instance.

The heavy reliance on undocumented, and in many instances unqualified, foreign nationals fits into the aims of companies to cut costs, maximise profits, while at the same time dividing workers. Such workers are often unable to join unions and meaningfully contribute in the collective defence of workers’ rights, thus dividing workers across nationalities and races. Additionally, due to destitution and desperation, undocumented workers are often the likeliest to accept the lowest pay while working unreasonably long hours doing extra work. They also lose benefits which would have been due to them in the case of documentation. In cases where the company is liable for negligence, they are left alone to face the legal consequences. It is important to also bring to the fore the fact that even in instances where foreign nationals are in South Africa legally and have all the relevant documentation, some companies have the tendency to disregard this documentation and hire them without filling in their relevant legal details. These workers accordingly fall directly into the category of undocumented workers.

Ultimately, dissatisfaction within the citizens boils over and leads to such condemnable xenophobic attacks; attacks against the victims of capitalism. The result of all this is division of workers and maximum profits for the companies.

However, blaming undocumented foreigners for xenophobic attacks takes away the reality that the attackers are not merely attacking undocumented foreign nationals, but foreign nationals in the last resort. The worst victims are those of African origin, with the claim that they (foreign nationals) are stealing South Africans’ jobs.

To address the problem with specific regard to the attacks on Swazi truck drivers, the people of Swaziland must ask themselves why Swazi workers have had to throw themselves into such super exploitative conditions when Swaziland is marketed by the ruling regime as a “peaceful” country where everyone is happy? The fact of the matter is that the tinkhundla regime has destroyed the economy of Swaziland. It is plainly due to the tinkhundla regime that many Swazis have abandoned the country in search for better educational, health and economic opportunities, particularly in South Africa. It is the regime which has ensured a “first world” glamorous lifestyle for the royal family while close to 70 percent of the population remain poverty stricken.

Thus, unless the tinkhundla system is overthrown and a truly democratic Swaziland formed, one where freedom is used to develop the people in a democratic manner, more Swazis will continue to face risks of attacks in South Africa and other parts of the globe wherever they find themselves. All efforts must thus be towards uniting against the tinkhundla regime which continues to oppress and impoverish the people.

The CPS notes and welcomes the good work that has been done by unions under the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and other progressive forces in condemning the violence and the threats, but also for raising consciousness of workers on this issue. The work that has been done by Cosatu to mobilise for the unionisation of workers, including foreign nationals, is commendable towards uniting workers. It is when workers are united against capitalism along with national chauvinism, that they will be able to defeat divisive attitudes, tendencies and beliefs like xenophobia.

Combat revenge xenophobic attacks

 While the CPS condemns the xenophobic violence taking place in South Africa, the Party does not condone any revenge attacks against South African truck drivers who cross over onto Swaziland roads. The CPS thus equally condemns any chauvinistic approach to the matter, as well as anti-South African worker sentiments, including plans to attack South African truck drivers and other South African nationals working in Swaziland. National chauvinism, including narrow nationalism, is as wrong as the xenophobic attacks which the CPS condemns.

The CPS thus calls for the widest possible unity within the workers of the world, in general, and African workers, in particular, against the root cause of xenophobia, capitalism, especially in its imperialist form. The people of Swaziland have also to unite in the fight for the democratisation of the country, for the free development of the people of Swaziland.

Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland