SACP strongly condemns the assassination of advocate Thulani Rudolf Maseko, a human rights lawyer in Swaziland

23 January 2023

The South African Communist Party (SACP) joins the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy in strongly condemning the assassination of advocate Thulani Rudolf Maseko, a human rights lawyer and activist for a transition from Mswati’s autocratic regime to democracy in Swaziland.

The SACP sends its message of sincere condolences to Maseko’s family and reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy, the release of political prisoners and those responsible for repression, including ordering and/or executing assassinations of political activists, to be held accountable.

Maseko was assassinated on Saturday, 21 January 2023, in his home in Ka Luhleko, nearby Mhlambanyatsi.

In 2014, he was arrested and imprisoned for two years by Mswati’s autocratic regime. Adv. Maseko’s sin was to express his freedom of speech in pursuit of the transition from Mswati’s autocratic regime to democracy in Swaziland. His writings, mostly articles, spread awareness, enlightening the people, as the Swaziland Solidarity Network stated in its statement issued on Sunday, 22 January 2023, denouncing the assassination.

Adv. Maseko did not demobilise in response to the unjust imprisonment by the absolute monarch. He advanced and defended the human rights of the people of Swaziland, continuing the just struggle for democracy. He was also a member of the Lawyers for Human Rights and the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network.

Issued by SACP, 23 January 2023