Sipho Jele
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Sipho Jele was a member of the banned Swazi political party People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) as well as the Swaziland Agricultural and Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU), part of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU). He died in police custody in Swaziland, after having been arrested on 1 May 2010, at the SFTU May Day celebrations, for having worn a T-shirt with a Pudemo logo.[http://www.tuc.org.uk/international-issues/countries/human-rights/union-rights/tuc-protests-suspicious-death-swazi-trade TUC protests at suspicious death of Swazi trade unionist Sipho Jele], Tuc.org.uk, 11 May 2010{{cite web |author=/af |url=http://www.arbejderen.dk/artikel/2010-05-10/dr-bt-p-grund-af-en-t-shirt |title=DrĂŚbt pĂĽ grund af en T-shirt |publisher=Arbejderen.dk |accessdate=21 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930163532/http://www.arbejderen.dk/artikel/2010-05-10/dr-bt-p-grund-af-en-t-shirt |archivedate=30 September 2011}}[http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1139058], Sowetan.co.sz {{dead link|date=October 2011}} Sipho Jele was found hanging from the rafters of a toilet at the Sidvwashini Correctional facility where he was being held on 4 May.
Murder case
Sipho Jele was a former employee at Swaziland's only pulp mill, and was studying engineering at the time of his death. He had been charged with high treason in a high-profile trial in 2006,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4570004.stm |title=Treason charges for Swazi attacks |publisher=BBC News |date=30 December 2005 |accessdate=7 April 2018}}{{Notinsourcegiven|date=April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78760.htm |title=Swaziland |publisher=State.gov |date=6 March 2007 |accessdate=21 October 2011}}{{Notinsourcegiven|date=April 2018}} accused of taking part in a bombing campaign, but was acquitted along with all the other accused.
According to Sipho Jele's aunt, who had previously worked as a nurse for 30 years and who saw the body, there were several indications that he had not committed suicide as claimed by the Swazi police, including a swollen face, blood having come out of his nostrils, and the fact that he hadn't soiled himself – as is commonly the case with those who have hanged themselves. The police officers in whose custody Jele was claimed they didn't kill him, although they admitted to have broken protocol on several accounts when arresting and detaining Jele.{{cite web|url=http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=13408 |title=The Swazi Observer |publisher=Observer.org.sz |date=19 May 2010 |accessdate=21 October 2011}}
The Swazi regime has been much criticised in relation to Jele's death especially by Swazi democracy organisations, foreign unions such as Cosatu,[http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?include=docs/pr/2010/pr0506a.html&ID=3283&cat=COSATU%20Today] {{dead link|date=April 2018}} and South African,{{cite web|url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-05-14-international-outcry-over-swazi-activists-death-in-detention |title=International outcry over Swazi activist's death in detention – News – Mail & Guardian Online |publisher=Mg.co.za |date=14 May 2010 |accessdate=21 October 2011}} American{{cite web|author=Peter Clottey |url=https://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Swaziland-Opposition-Demands-Supporters-Death-Inquiry--94000439.html |title=Swaziland Opposition Demands Supporter's Death Inquiry |publisher=Voice of America |date=17 May 2010 |access-date=7 April 2018}} and Danish newspapers and websites, as well as NGOs.{{cite web|url=http://www.ituc-csi.org/swaziland-trade-unionist-dies-in.html |title=Swaziland: Trade Unionist Dies in Custody|publisher=Ituc-csi.org |date=12 May 2010 |accessdate=7 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/36080 |title=afrol News – Swazi trade unionist "killed" in custody |publisher=Afrol.com |accessdate=21 October 2011}}
An independent investigation into the cause of the death was promised on 7 May by the Prime Minister of Swaziland.[http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=16388 Corruption is the key to success in SD], Times.co.sz, 25 June 2010 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714182928/http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=16388 |date=14 July 2014 }} According to evidence given by Manzini-based police officers at this inquest, Sipho Jele was taken out of his cell to be interrogated for hours, although the evidence given by police officers and jailers was conflicting on several points.{{cite web |url=http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=16708 |title=Times of Swaziland |accessdate=2010-05-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180431/http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=16708 |archivedate=3 March 2016}} The director of public prosecutions, Mumcy Dlamini, testified at the same trial that Jele had told him he feared being "tubed", i.e. assaulted and suffocated, by police and therefore had asked Dlamini to be transferred to Sidvwashini.
Funerals
Sipho Jele's funeral was disrupted by around 500 heavily armed police. The police destroyed several pictures of Jele, as well as removing a Pudemo flag from the coffin, and then arrested and detained several of the mourners. The funeral was subsequently called off by Jele's family for fear of further arrests.{{cite web |url=http://www.afrika.dk/swazi-police-disrupt-funeral-sipho-jele |title=Swazi police disrupt funeral of Sipho Jele |publisher=Afrika.dk |date=14 May 2010 |accessdate=21 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806233314/http://www.afrika.dk/swazi-police-disrupt-funeral-sipho-jele |archivedate=6 August 2011}} The funeral finally took place on 22 May, this time with a strict dress code banning any politically motivated attire or political speeches, although some of those attending disregarded this.