A Summit meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is taking place from 15th to 17th August 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), jointly with many other organisations, is leading a march against the participation of the illegitimate governments of Robert Mugabe and Mswati in the summit.

· Date: 16 August 2008

· Assemble: 09h00

· Assembly Point: George Lea Park, at corner of Sandton Drive and Marie Street, Sandton, Johannesburg

· March Start: 11h00

· Route: Move East along Sandton Drive; turn left at Grayston Drive; turn right at Fifth Street; at the corner of Alice Lane move eastwards to Speaker’s Corner outside the Convention Centre, where a memorandum will be handed over, and a Red Card will be shown to Mugabe and Mswati!

“We hold dear the firm view that Robert Mugabe and Mswati III are not legitimate leaders of their various countries. They cannot claim any amount of legitimacy to rule their countries, for they have not been democratically elected by the peoples of their countries. Therefore, as representatives of civil society, we condemn the behaviour of these two leaders and take it upon ourselves to expose them and their unacceptable behaviour before the eyes of the world.”

Declaration of Zimbabwean and Swaziland Civil Society delegates at the COSATU-convened Solidarity Conference, 10-11 August 2008

In addition to COSATU, the following organisations are among those taking part:

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Revolutionary Youth of Zimbabwe
People’s United Democratic Movement
Treatment Action Campaign

Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum
Swaziland United Democratic Front
Anti-Privatisation Forum

Zimbabwe Exiles
Swaziland Federation of Labour
Swaziland Youth Congress