An Interview with Sticks Nkambule the General Secretary of SWATCAWU

 Above Pictures:  SWATCAWU General Secretary Cde Sticks Nkambule

Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze

Sticks Nkambule is the General Secretary of the Swaziland Transport, Communications and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU). He has served workers  in the transport sector through the Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers Union (STAWU) where he started out as an official . In 2017, STAWU, merged with Private  & Public Swaziland Transport Workers Union (P&PSTWU) to create a unified transport and communications  union, SWATCAWU. The communications union Swaziland Communications Workers Union (SCWU) in the end relented and hence did not form part of SWATCAWU. A story for another day. 

 In the year 2022,challenges faced by public transport service workers, and other transport workers in other sections of the sector, were brought to the fore when SWATCAWU held several protest actions and several highly successful stayaway actions ,the last of whom took place on the 13th in December 2022.

 Sticks was at the forefront or rather at the steering wheel of it all. From engaging in fiercely contested public gatherings with public vehicle service workers, to using his booming voice to issue out voice notes and other technology mediated  mechanisims to galvanise workers during the stay aways often using flowery language such as "Tinjini titake tiphole lamuhla" (We will let the vehicle engines stay cold for today). It all endeared him to the pro democracy movement at large.

In the aftermath of the 13th December stay away Stix went under heavy state harassment and had to go into hiding to preserve his life.

We recently found an opportunity to speak to comrade Stix on the latest situation concerning the union. We invite you to read on

Eswatini Labour Insight (ELI): The year 2022 has been an eventful year for SWATCAWU, the union held multiple protests at the premises of transport companies in pursuit of numerous demands related to these company trampling on workers’ rights. What is the current state of workers in the sector?

Sticks Nkambule (SN): Workers remain resilient, their demands remain alive. As long as they are not resolved in the interest of the working class, the struggle continues.

ELI: Over and above the foregoing several successful nationwide stay away actions or work stoppages were held particularly at the insistence of the public Service Vehicle (PSV) transport workers. Can you share what necessitated these actions from public transport workers’ perspective?

SN: It’s the same package of demands that caused the longest shutdown in October 2021. The cabinet select team, gave these workers an unsustainable raw deal. 

Workers remain resolute that the call for major changes in the administration of the country remain central. Release of prisoners of conscience, among them being MP Bacede Mabuza and MP Mthandeni Dube will be well received as a single step to a right direction.

Editor's Note: Demands made by the workers (according to Times of Eswatini 04 November 2022) include a wage floor of E4000.00 for PSV workers ,remittance of provident fund deductions and better employment conditions such as written contracts)

ELI: It is also understood that in the year 2022 you and the collective leadership of SWATCAWU were heavily surveyed and harassed by the Eswatini armed forces? 

SN: Correct

ELI: What actions of harassment meted to SWATCAWU do you recall and how did the SWATCAWU leadership react to them?

SN: State forces invasion of the family of the General Secretary for more three times now. State forces invasion of SWATCAWU offices. Counter activities sponsored to disrupt our programs and frivolous court cases.

The leadership is undoubtedly shaken but remain resolute in pushing the aspirations of the working class.

Picture: A poster by SWACAWU in support of their GS Comrade Sticks

ELI: It was reported that in the run up to the 13^th December stay away the government approached the industrial court to interdict the SWATCAWU stay away?

In your understanding did the government have any legal basis to take this action? 

SN: Our preliminary rhetorical question has always been that given the nature of the operations of the PSV workers, should it not have been the employers who approached the industrial court?

Yes, government filed a case. Summarily we view the case to be more political than legal.

ELI: What was the response of SWATCAWU to their legal challenge? 

SN: Our legal team in handling this one, we shall allow this process to unfold. It suffice to say the case was punctuated with fatal errors in law and it was politically naked one for all to see.

ELI: It is now history that the stay away became a resounding success despite efforts by the state to undermine and counter it, what engagements took place after the stay away between SWATCAWU, Employer or the government, any response to the demand of the workers?

SN: Employers briefed us in that there is an underway process wherein a consultant is assisting them to comply with the set minimum standards for the sector. There has been increased reports of compliances. However government’s only response was persecution of the GS personally and singled out from the members and the leadership.

 ELI: Can you now confirm your current situation as to whether you are now in exile (and other details you may want to share about this including which country has afforded you asylum, if any?)

Yes, the GS is officially exiled.

ELI: If yes, how will it affect the SWATCAWU leadership, are you going to continue as the GS even in exile?

This caught us having been equipped by the eventuality of Covid-19. We are working fairly well, with very minimal disturbances that obviously comes with not being physically present.

We saw in one international organisation’s publication that SWATCAWU is engaged in campaign efforts to ensure your safe return, can you expand on this campaign so that workers across the world can familiarise themselves with it and popularise it.

The campaign shall include among others activism within the country, legal proceedings within Swaziland and international action to hold the authorities accountable for their actions which undermine human rights and worsening record on lack of respect for workers’ rights.

Thank You comrade GS and we wish to you strength always, ALUTA!!

Thank you very much Comrade for having us. Let’s meet again on the road to justice, Cde TR Maseko so taught us. Until Victory Always!!!