South Africa’s second-largest opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has condemned the assassination of Eswatini human rights lawyer, Thulani Rudolf Maseko, on Saturday in his home country.
Maseko was gunned down by unknown gunmen at his home in Luyendo in Eswatini on Saturday evening.
In a statement issued on Sunday, 22 January 2023, the Julius Malema-led party accused King Mswati III’s government of being behind Maseko’s “merciless killing”. Reads the statement:
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the assassination of human rights lawyer and Chairperson of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), comrade Thulani Rudolf Maseko who was gunned down at his home in Luyendo in Eswatini.
The killing occurs amidst the ongoing targeting of those who are calling for democracy, by the murderous monarch of Eswatini, Mswati Comrade Maseko was a courageous defender of democracy and a voice of reason for the defenceless people of eSwatini.
He spoke truth to power during a time of great adversity and extreme government repression.
The People of eSwatini, the rest of Africa, the Diaspora and the world have been robbed of a soldier who was armed not with guns, but with words that he used to confront the most merciless regimes on the continent.
The merciless killing of comrade Maseko is a sign of desperation from a state that has lost its legitimacy and authority to preside over the affairs of the people of eSwatini.
Mswati and his mercenaries may have killed him but they will never kill the idea of democracy whose time has come.
The EFF calls on the people of eSwatini to remain steadfast and fearless as the wheels of change are now turning and democracy will soon reign supreme in this beautiful land.
We further call on the South African government, the South African Development Community (SADC) region, and the rest of the Africa Union (AU) to condemn the crimes against humanity that are currently taking place in eSwatini.
We express our deep condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.