Released Majongwe vows to continue teachers strike

By Tererai Karimakwenda
16 February 2007

The Secretary General of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe Raymond Majongwe and the group’s treasurer McDonald Mangauzana were finally released by police at Harare Central Law and Order Section on Thursday. The 2 had been arrested on Tuesday while addressing striking teachers at Haig Primary school in Harare . Police said they would proceed by way of summons. Majongwe said despite his ordeal the teachers will not end the strike. He revealed that a new salary structure was supposed to be released Friday by government via the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), but the teachers’ payslips reflect no increases.

As for his arrest, Majongwe said the headmistress at Mabvuku High School had contacted the Law and Order division complaining that he had said teachers earn 17 bananas a day. This was the basis of a docket waiting for him at Harare Central. Majongwe admitted making the statements and explained that teachers are earning Z$2816 per day which translates to 4 ½ bananas. He asked: “I was wondering how I could really be charged for making a mathematically correct statement?”

There was also a second docket with charges relating to his speech at Haig Primary. But the union leader cited a statutory instrument from 1998 which he said permits them as PTUZ leaders to visit teachers during work hours according to their terms of reference.

The defiant Majongwe said police treated him quite reasonably while in detention but the conditions in the cells were horrendous. He described crowded cells infested with human waste, urine, lice and a strong stench. There are also no lights in the holding areas.

Teachers were forced to go on strike on the 5 th of February after government failed to commit to any salary increases. The teachers are demanding wages in line with the poverty datum line which is currently at Z$566 400 for a family of five. Yet currently a teacher’s monthly pay averages only Z$84 000.