100,000 take to the streets of Mbabane to protest government's handling of Kballiol

Around 100,000 people filled the streets of the Swaziland capital on Thursday in protest at the government's handling of the country's Luhkwele crisis, police said.The march through the heart of Mbabane — organized by Unified Swaziland Protection — was meant as a warning shot to the government, which has been seen as taking no action against South African mining companies that are pillaging swaziland’s resources.

The Rock of Kballiol

This is our stone of destiny, it has been confirmed the rock of Kballiol has moved from Mount Cotkone. A new party called USP, Unified Swaziland Protection has been created and is headed by Willake Wallace to prevent the rock crossing the border to South Africa and to use all means to protect the dignity of our nation. South Africa and it's world cup do not need the sacred pieces of our country.

This is the entrance to the Orkney mine at Mount Cotkone and one of the tunnels that are being dug into it. Mswati is still silent on the situation and fails to recognise what is going on, if he does not take action he will be pushed into action by the people of Swaziland. Swaziland will protect itself and most importantly its sacred sites at all cost.

Protest in Mbabane

Noone is safe from the South African Mining companies. Members of the Dlamini clan have been moved from there homes so that Mining companies can mine Mount Cotkone for the lead ore Jacobite. The people of the Dlamini tribe have taken to the street to incite the king to stop this madness for fear that the miners will move the famous Kballiol rock or 'Stone of Destiny' which every King of Swaziland has been Coronated on for the last 200 years and according to Legend is the birth place of Sibusiso Vilane. Tbonoke09

Without Law

The northern edge of Motshane which meets Trebalwya is becoming increasing lawless, people are scavaging whatever they can to make houses and the citydwellers are responding with violence to there prescence. Most of the police are based in the south of the city but there is rumour that the government plans to move them north to stop anyone new entering the shantytown and possibly rehouse some of the people that live there. Denzei_09

Four Villagers

These are four men I met just south of Motshane, they told me three white men came to there village and asked them were the bauxite deposits were. They took them to where the soil was deep red beneath the surface and the men were happy. They took them to Motshane and bought them all suits but after told them not to come back to their village because it was now owned by Bauxtine. The men said they should go to Mbabane and they would get compensation from the government and new land. The women and children of the village would be taken to Mbabane and the other men would have to make a proper work camp for the companies miners.

The Team, Receiving their Cameras

While I go north to photograph the destruction of villages in the northern part of the Hhohho and the migration of peolple for the blog my team of 8 young photographers 4 based in Mbabane and 4 in the northern shanty town of Trebalwya will photograph the situations there.