COSATU vows to make Mugabe’s life ‘difficult’

By Alex Bell
25 July 2008

South Africa’s Trade Union Federation, COSATU has vowed to make Robert Mugabe’s life ‘difficult’ if he does not concede power.

The comments were made by COSATU’s general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi as Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF and MDC negotiating members finally sat down to talks on Thursday. Vavi said if the talks, expected to last the next two weeks, do not reach a strong settlement, he will call on his members to boycott next month’s SADC summit scheduled to take place in Johannesburg – an event which Mugabe is expected to attend as an incumbent regional leader. Vavi warned that, although the federation cannot prevent Mugabe from traveling to South Africa, “We will make it very difficult for him to be here.”

COSATU’s national spokesman, Patrick Craven told Newsreel on Friday that the federation and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions took a decision after the June 27 ‘sham election’ that the Zimbabwean government ‘should no longer be recognised.’ He said the government “has no mandate because of its appalling human rights record and it is a position we are encouraging trade unions around the world to accept”.

Craven said “workers should refuse to aid Mugabe and his cronies anywhere in the world,” and called the action a form of “targeted sanctions against a regime that has no credibility.” He added that the federation will also “encourage governments to stop inviting Mugabe to international conferences and events,” and he reiterated that “only a government agreed to, as part of the negotiating process should be recognised.”

A unity government is widely believed to be on the cards at the end of the ZANU-PF and MDC negotiations and Newsreel understands discussions are taking place about making Mugabe a titular head of state with Morgan Tsvangerai as executive Prime Minister. Craven said COSATU will only accept a result that “honours the verdict”of the Zimbabwean people and in this regard“the result of the March elections should be the basis for Zimbabwe’s parliament.” He added fresh elections need to be held as soon as possible and that, “any administration set up in the interim must be purely transitional to facilitate a free and fair poll.”

COSATU is also organising a mass march set to take place outside next month’s SADC summit in Johannesburg. Craven said the demonstration “will allow South African workers as well as Zimbabweans living in South Africa to express their views about what steps should be taken.”