43 ZCTU congress delegates to be deported

By Lance Guma
17 May 2006

43 international delegates to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) 19-20 May congress are set to be deported after 4 others were kicked out on Wednesday. Jan Mahlangu (COSATU), Nina Mjoberg (LO Norway), Alice Siame (Zambia) and another trade unionist from Swaziland were kicked out by immigration officials under instructions from the labour ministry. Siame was taken from her hotel Tuesday evening by Central Intelligence Operatives and dumped at the departure lounge at the Harare International Airport. Mjoberg, Mahlangu and the Swazi official were barred from entering the country altogether.

The ZCTU responded by filing an urgent chamber application in the High Court in the morning but the appointed judge, Justice Ben Hlatshwayo, had still not sat down to hear the matter by the time Newsreel went on air. The Deputy Information Officer for the ZCTU Last Tarabuku says they anticipate more deportations to follow as over 43 delegates are expected in the country to observe and contribute to their congress. ‘By the time you go on air the figures will have changed, since the delegates are arriving on different flights,’ he said.

The labour body says it is surprised by government’s actions given that they had spoken to the Ministry of labour and submitted names of international guests who had confirmed attendance to the congress. ‘The Minister of labour had agreed in principle that no visitor will be deported,’ Tarabuku explained. The government and the labour union have been on a collision course ever since the ZCTU managed to lobby the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) into picketing the border over human rights abuses in the country. Several trade unionists from neighbouring countries and abroad have been deported over the last few months with the labour ministry insisting it will vet all the visitors.