Harassment and threats of arrests of Ms Getrude Hambira and call for end to persecution of GAPWUZ leadership in Zimbabwe
COSATU fully support the working people of Zimbabwe in their very difficult situation as a result of the intensified persecution against them, particularly farmworkers of GAPWUZ (General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe). Our allies, the ZCTU have made us aware of the gravity of this matter and the urgency of attending to it. We also want to particularly convey our anger at the forced exiling of Ms Gertrude Hambira who is currently here in South Africa.
In this regard, we also wish to express our serious concerns regarding the concerted harassment and continued threats of arrests against Ms Gertrude Hambira, the General Secretary of GAPWUZ.
We seek to relay our concerns to the ruling authorities in Zimbabwe, particularly the Ministers responsible for police, military and security forces to ensure safety and security of Ms Hambira and to issue out instructions that such a harassment and threats of arrests should immediately cease.
The documentary and the report compiled on the plight of farm workers in particular and all workers in general, owing to the political situation in Zimbabwe, should serve as a reminder to Zimbabweans that there is a need to heal and unite the country by confronting challenges, including those contained in a documentary and report.
We hope that assurances on the safety and non-harassment/non-arrest of Ms Hambira will be guaranteed and she will allowed to go about her trade union work and every-day life.
COSATU in its capacity as Convenor of SATUCC Solidarity Committee has communicated with the Botswana head office of SATUCC, through the Executive Secretary, Cde Austin Muneku its proposal to begin to roll out the Strategic Solidarity Plan by jointly mobilizing resources to ensure work begins in earnest in co-ordinating regional solidarity as per the last Congress of SATUCC in 2008.
COSATU has also called on the Zimbabwean Solidarity Forum to co-ordinate a meeting of South African activists to inform our programme on Zimbabwe and ascertain what needs to be done collectively by all progressive forces of South Africa.
In this regard, we stand ready to support any action that has the potential to take us forward on this area of our work, in view of the magnitude of this matter and the urgency of a regional momentum.
Bongani Masuku (International Relations Secretary)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets
Braamfontein, 2017
Johannesburg
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