ZANU PF accused of politicising civil servants strike

By Violet Gonda
15 February 2010

State security agents and youth militia have been accused of interfering with the current industrial action by civil servants. Takavafira Zhou the President of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) says Central Intelligence Officers, soldiers and the militia descended on some schools threatening headmasters and teachers who had not yet joined the strike and forcing them to leave the schools.

“At one school in Masvingo they even suggested that the Deputy Head should send pupils home, and that pupils should only come back when the industrial action would have ended. We congratulate them if they have joined the industrial action but at the same time we become worried when a crocodile smiles at a fisherman,” said Zhou.

The PTUZ President told SW Radio Africa on Monday this behaviour by security operatives and militia was indicative of attempts by ‘a political party’ to control the industrial action by pretending to be sympathetic, but at the same time derailing the cause of the industrial action.

The MDC has also come out accusing ZANU PF of politicising the strike by civil servants. The party told the Standard Newspaper that ‘state security agents and ZANU PF hardliners are stoking the on-going strike in an effort to wreck the fragile inclusive government’. MDC Spokesperson Nelson Chamisa is quoted saying ZANU PF was taking advantage of the plight of workers to portray the MDC-T as having failed to improve the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans since the formation of the inclusive government.

Civil servants began the industrial action over a week ago, demanding a better standard of living and a top-up of their salaries from $150 to $630, but the government has said it has no money.

However, the PTUZ said the government has been quiet and has not been engaging with the workers about their grievances and union leaders are busy mobilising the workers to come up with more ways to engage them.

He said: “It is surprising that the employer is rather threatening, saying the strike is illegal and that workers must go back to work…We will not eat threats, we will continue to lobby our members in order to bargain for better salaries and living conditions.”

It’s reported many schools countrywide, as well as government offices have been affected by the crippling strike. Zhou said it is unfortunate to cause suffering to students but insists their intention was that the strike would be very short. He believes the major problem has been caused by the ‘bickering’ over political power sharing, and that the politicians don’t seem too much concerned about their plight.