WOZA arrests update
By Violet Gonda
26 October 2006

The five WOZA women who were arrested during Wednesday’s peaceful protest against housing evictions are still being detained at Bulawayo Central Police Station. The women, who included a seventy five year old grandmother have been charged under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and are expected to appear in court on Friday. If found guilty, they are liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both.

The women are Thalitha Mtendesi, Senie Dube, Samkeliso Sibanda, Faina
Maphosa and Maria Moyo. According to a WOZA statement, the women spent the nigh at Mzilikazi and Sauerstown police stations but reported that at those stations the police officers insisted they remove their underwear in violation of their basic rights and dignity.

The women were part of a group of residents who were protesting against Joshua Mafu, the Chairman of The Bulawayo Residents Association and Fabion Dube, Superintendent of Mpopoma Housing Office, who have allegedly given 36 residents illegal eviction notices so that they can allocate the houses to their cronies. Orphaned children are said to be among the evicted. The group were also protesting against the City Council for not providing services such as garbage collection and for failing to maintain ablution facilities.