Magistrate Maphosa has reserved judgement on the request for bail for Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu until Friday 24th October as the “court is very busy”. Bail hearings are normally heard on an urgent basis. Williams and Mahlangu will therefore remain in Mlondolozi Female Prison until that date.

The bail hearing was heard in the absence of Williams and Mahlangu who had not been brought from Mlondolozi as prison authorities claimed that they had no fuel. This being despite the fact that the WOZA support team had been informed yesterday by one of the prison guards at Mlondolozi that they did currently have fuel. Two prison vehicles were also observed by the WOZA support team travelling at great speed into Bulawayo on Sunday afternoon.

The defence lawyer, Kossam Ncube, had also been given permission yesterday by a senior prison officer at Mlondolozi, Mathanire, to bring Williams and Mahlangu to court in his own vehicle if transport was not available. Upon arrival at Mlondolozi this morning however, Ncube was informed that it would not be possible after all by Superintendant Dlamini.

The hearing finally went ahead in their absence before Magistrate Maphosa. Prosecutor Chifamba called another state witness, Detective Sergeant Ncube from the Law and Order Section of Bulawayo Central Police Station to testify.

Ncube claimed he believed that bail should be denied because of pending cases against them, citing four different cases dating back to 2004. None of these cases are actually pending but the witness tried to claim this was because Williams and Mahlangu could never be found to be presented with their summons! On cross-examination however, he could not deny that the two accused had actually appeared in court for all of these cases. Following the cross-examination of the state witness by the defence, the court adjourned for lunch.

After lunch the magistrate heard the arguments of the two attorneys. The state had three main arguments: propensity, that the accused were of no fixed abode and that they had cases pending against them. Chifamba argued that the four cases mentioned by the state witness showed that the two accused had committed similar offences on several occasions and were likely to do so again. He claimed that the court should ignore the fact that these were not serious crimes. He also claimed that because the state witness had testified that he had tried on several occasions to locate the two at their homes, and they were not there at the time, obviously they did not live there. His third argument was that the case relating to a July 2007 arrest that is currently before the Supreme Court is pending and therefore Williams and Mahlangu wilfully lied to the court when asked if they had any cases pending against them.

In reponse, Kossam Ncube cited a 1922 judgement (States vs Shaw) that ruled that when arguing propensity, only convictions should be considered, not mere charges. He also cited a 1973 South African case (State vs Fourie) that ruled that with regard to propensity, only violent crimes should be considered. He went on to argue that neither Williams nor Mahlangu have ever been convicted of any crime.

With regard to the accusation of the two having no fixed abode, Ncube argued that there is no legal requirement for persons to remain at their given address 24 hours a day on the off chance that police may come looking for them. Just because Jenni Williams was not at home when police came looking for her last year does not mean that she does not live at the address that she has given. He also raised questions about the admissibility of police notes that the state had entered as evidence that police could not find Williams at her given address. The notes merely stated that summons could not be served, not the reasons why. The police officer who had made the notes was also not present in court. Ncube asserted that Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu had never defaulted on a court appearance and therefore did not constitute a risk, a fact that the state witnessed concurred with.

Ncube went on to argue that in fact none of the cases mentioned by the state are in fact pending as they had been removed off remand in all four cases. Williams and Mahlangu did not therefore mislead the court when they stated that they had no pending cases against them.

He also reminded the court that the alleged wrongdoing was not a very serious one and that to deny bail for an offence that carries the sentence of a fine would be prejudicial to the two accused.

Following the argument, Magistrate Maphosa pronounced that she would reserve her judgement until Friday 24th October at 11.15pm. Attempts by the defence to bring the ruling forward were rebuffed with the claims that ‘the court is very busy.’

The on-going detention of Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu and the delaying tactics and machinations of the state are a clear violation of their rights and the power-sharing agreement signed by the political parties in September 2008. It is further evidence that ZANU PF has no desire to act in good faith.

WOZA therefore calls on all friends in the region and internationally to protest the ongoing detention of Williams and Mahlangu, particularly ahead of the SADC meeting on Zimbabwe next week.

Useful telephone numbers:

Bulawayo Central Police Station: +263 9 72515/61706/63061/68078

Mlondolozi Prison: +263 9 64228

Bulawayo Attorney General’s Office: +263 9 77651/61603

Harare Attorney General’s Office: +263 4 781769/774586

Bulawayo Public Prosecutor: + 263 9 63173

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Ukuphupha iZimbabwe Entsha
Amalungelo Avunywe Alotshwa Ngabantu

AmaZimbabwe, elokubambana lokuzimisela ngenhliziyo yonke, ayamemeza:

• Ukuthi ngemva kweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lesithupha (26) sithole uzibuse, inkululeko lamathuba alinganayo esasiwathenjisiwe lokhe singakawatholi;
• Amaphupho esasilawo enhlalakahle – ukuzotha, induduzo, lokuvikelwa – sephenduke kwabangamaphupho amabi. Izizalwane zeZimbabwe kumele ziphuphe futhi, njalo zenze amaphupho azo afezeke;
• Kumele sihlale sizazi ukuthi sifanelwe ngokungcono njalo singabi lokwesaba sikholwe ukuthi silelungelo lekusasa enhle njalo silelungelo lokuphatheka ekufezeni lokhu.
• Thina abantu beZimbabwe amakhosikazi, abesilisa labantwana, kugoqela yonke imbala, imihlobo lenkolo ezitshiyeneyo, sizandawonye sihloniphana njalo silingana samukela amalungelo avunywe alotshwa ngabantu phansi, siyazi ukuthi uma simanyene engafezeka;
• Sizasebenza ndawonye ngamandla, ngesibindi lethemba ukuze izizalwane zeZimbabwe zithole umbuso okhululekileyo, ukuthula lokuzotha ngempela.

Sonke Sizaba Lokukhululeka Njalo Lokulingana

• Wonke amaZimbabwe azabalokulingana, kungakhethelekile ukuthi ungowesifazane kumbe ungowesilisa, kumbe uyisigoga, umbala kumbe udabuka ngaphi kumbe ungumhlobo bani. Amalungelo abomama labantwana kumele aqakathekiswe njalo avikelwe;
• Sizafundiswa ngamalungelo lenkululeko alotshwe kusisekelo sombuso wethu lemthetho yomhlaba wonke jikelele; njalo sizawakholisa sikhululeke;
• Sizaba lenkululeko ekubuthaneni, lekuqoqeni, lekukhulumeni imbono yethu singela kwesaba lokwethuselwa.

Ukuphatheka Kwabantu Kwezombusazwe

• Abantu bazaziswa njalo bakhuthazwe ukuthi baphatheke ngokugcweleyo kundlela zonke zokuphatha ilizwe lekuqhubeni amalungelo abo njengezizalwane;
• Wonke umuntu ozelwe eZimbabwe uzavunyelwa ukuba yisizalwane selizwe, incwadi zokuzalwa, izithupha kanye lencwadi zokuhambisa kwamanye amazwe kuzatholakala kalula kuzizalwane zonke;
• Abantu bazakhululeka ukukhetha inkokheli abazifunayo kungela kwesaba lokwethuselwa. Inkokheli kuzibanga zonke zizakhethwa kukhetho olukhululekileyo kungela kuqilibezelwa;
• Amakhosikazi kumele akhuthazwe ukuthi babe ngabakhokheli ukuze kube lokulingana kwabesifazana labesilisa;
• Kuzaba lequla elizimele lodwa elizaphatha libone ngokuqhutshwa kwenhlelo zokhetho njalo ukhetho luzaba lenhloli ezingasekeli hlangothi, abavela phakathi laphandle kwelizwe;
• Abantu bazakhululeka ukukhetha ibandla lezombangazwe abalifunayo njalo bengasoze babandlululwe ngokusekela lelobandla;
• Zonke ingatsha, izisebenzi zikahulumende, amapholisa lamabutho, azisoze zingenele kwezombangazwe kodwa zizagcwalisa izifiso zikazulu.

Inkokheli Esizifunayo

• Zonke inkokheli zizabalomlandu, wokunakekela abantu ababakhokhelayo njalo bafake udaba lenhlupho zabantu enhlizweni njalo benze okungathuthukisa isigaba;
• Inkokheli kuwo wonke amabanga zizahlonipha abantu bonke ngokulinganayo, balalele izikhalazo zabo, bazwe imbono yabo nxa besenza izinqumo njalo babuye lempumela ebantwini;
• Inkokheli kumele zazi ukuthi zizabalomlandu njalo zamukele ukuthi abantu ababakhethileyo balelungelo lokuchothoza imithetho kumbe indlela abasebenza ngayo;
• Inkokheli kuwo wonke amabanga kumele emphakathini batsho ukuthi bazahlukana lenkohlakalo lokukhethana ngobuhlobo;
• Induna labosobhuku akumelanga bakhethwe ngabezombangazwe kodwa bakhethwe ngesiko. Akumelanga basekele amabandla ezombangazwe. Kumele bahlale ezigabeni abazikhokhelayo, kulokuthi bahlale ePhalamende.

Ukulunga Emthethweni

• Kuzakuba lesisekelo sombuso esitsha esilotshwe ngabantu beZimbabwe singesabantu beZimbabwe;
• Imithetho yonke engalunganga njalo encindezela okumqoka kunkululeko yabantu izakwesulwa;
• Umthetho uzasebenza njenjomthetho njalo akula loyedwa ozabanga phezulu komthetho welizwe. Wonke umuntu uzaba lethuba elilinganayo ukufinyelela lokuphathwa ngokulunga kwezomthetho; abephuli bomthetho bazalandelwa, betheswe icala njalo bazajeziswe, kungela kuthi ngowaliphi ibandla lombangazwe;
• Abomthethwandaba bazasebenza bengala hlangothi njalo bengamelanga ezombangazwe, bazinikele ukuphakamisa imithetho njalo bakhulise umkhuba wokulunga;
• Izibotshwa zizaphathwa ngendlela elobuntu, bagcinwe endaweni ezilobuntu njalo bazathola imfundiso yokuthi bangahlala njani labanye abantu kanye lokuzinceda empilweni zabo. Izibotshwa ezingaphansi kweminyaka elitshumi lasitshiyangalombili (18) azisoze ziphathwe njengabantu abadala ngamapholisa, emthethwandaba kumbe entolongweni.

Umhlabathi Lo Ngumhlabathi Wethu

• Uhlelo lokwabiwa komhlabathi kumele luqalise kutsha njalo kumele kuphiwe umuntu wonke ngokulinganayo kungela bandlululo lwemihlobo kumbe ukuthi ungowesifazana kumbe wesilisa – uphiwe abazawusebenzisa ngendlela ukuze kube yinzuzo yelizwe;
• Amalungelo okuba ngumnini wempahla azahlonitshwa;
• Umhlabathi kumele uphiwe abantu abazawusebenzisa ngendlela efaneleyo okuzanceda amaZimbabwe wonke kube lencwadi etshengisela ukuba umhlabathi ngowakhe;
• Abalimi bazancediswa ngemali langempahla yokusebenzisa ukuze ukulima kube lula njalo kube lesivuno esihle;
• Abalimi bazathola intengo ehambelana lezilimo zabo ekuthengiseni njalo bazavunyelwa ukuthenga lokuthengisa abakufunayo bekhululekile.

Umnotho Lengqubela Phambili

• Uhulumende uzenza ngazo zonke indlela ukuthuthukisa izizwe ngokulinganayo emadolobheni lemaphandleni okugoqela izakhiwo eziletha ingqubelaphambili;
• Uhulumende uzakhuthaza indlela zokuhuga abazasungula amabhizimusi azadala imisebenzi njalo akhusele intuthuko kuzizalwane zeZimbabwe;
• Uhulumende uzenza ngamandla akhe wonke ukuthi amise ukwehla kwesisindo sedola ngokukhusela inzuzo;
• Izizalwane zeZimbabwe zifuna indlela ebalulekileyo njalo ebasuthisayo kwezemithelo njalo kube lengcazelo ukuthi imthelo yabo isebenza njani;
• Uhulumende uzazinikela ngeqiniso ekuqedeni inkohlakalo njalo engayiyekeli iqhubeke ibhidliza ezomnotho;
• Imali yethu kumele ibe ngeyoqobo ukuze ibelesisindo.

Ilungelo Lokuziphilisa

• Umuntu wonke uzakuba lelungelo lokuziphilisa ukuze abe lesithunzi angaphili ngokukhangezwa ukuze aphile;
• Kuzakuba lemisebenzi eyaneleyo, lezindlela zokusebenza ezizothileyo njalo leholo elingenelisa ukuthi umuntu aphile njalo kungabi lokwehlukana kweholo kumsebenzi munye;
• Kuzakuba lokutholakala koncedo lokuqalisa inhlelo zokuziphilisa, ikakhulu kulutsha labafelwakazi;
• Abantu bazavunyelwa ukuthengisa lokuthenga; incwadi zokuthengisa njalo lendawo zokuthengisela zizaphiwa abantu ngokulinganayo;

Inhlalakahle

• Kuzaba lokudla okwanele wonke umuntu;
• Zonke izinto ezifuneka empilweni zabantu mihla ngemihla zizatholakala njalo zizathengeka; nxa kusenza; kumele kube lohlelo oluhlolisisa ngentengo ukuze wonke umuntu enelise ukuthenga;
• Wonke umuntu uzenelisa ukuthola indawo yokuhlala elohlonzi njalo elentengo ayenelisayo, imbadalo yezindlu izakwehliswa lamalungelo okuba umniniwo azahlonitshwa;
• Indawo zonke zemadolobheni lemakhaya zizenelisa ukuthola uncedo olwamanzi ahlanzekileyo, lezempilakahle lokubuthwa kwezibi okuvikelekileyo;
• Zonke izindawo emadolobheni lasemakhaya zizenelisa ukuthola amagetsi ngentengo eneliswa nguzulu;
• Kuzakuba lendlela zokuhambisa ezaneleyo kuzo zonke izindawo zeZimbabwe. Asebekhulile (amaxhegu lezalukazi) bazavunyelwa ukugada kungela mbadalo lapho abahlezi khona;
• Abantu abangenelisi ukuziphilisa ezigabeni bazanakekelwa amaxhegu lezalukazi, abafelokazi labaphila belegcikwane leHIV/AIDS, intandane kanye lezigoga bazanakekelwa nguhulumende ngokugcweleyo;
• Bonke abantu bazakuba lelungelo lokuphumula, lemidlalo njalo lokuzilibazisa.

Ukufundisa Isizwe

• Umntwana wonke uzathola imfundo ngokulinganayo kungelabandlululo. Labo abangenelisiyo bazancediswa;
• Imfundo yogatsha lwaphansi (primary education) ayisoze ibe lembadalo lemfundo yogatsha lwaphezulu (secondary education) izakweneliswa ngumuntu wonke njengesithembiso sika 1980;
• Izifundi zonke zizathola imfundo elohlonzi, bazafundela ezindlini – kuzabalezingwalo, amatafula, lezinto zonke ezifunekayo esikolo;
• Kuzaba lababalisi abaqeqetshileyo abazimiseleyo ukufundisa isizukulwane esizayo. Kumele sibahloniphe ngokuzinikela kwabo emsebenzini bathole iholo elihambelana lomsebenzi wabo;

Sifuna Impilakahle

• Umuntu wonke uzathola ukwelatshwa ngentengo ephansi njalo eyaneliswa nguzulu wonke weZimbabwe;
• Izibhedlela lama clinic kuzakuba lemithi lemitshina layo yonke impahla eyaneleyo;
• Labo abaphila legcikwane leHIV/AIDS bazathola imithi (ARVs). Abangelamali zokuthenga bazaphiwa kungela mbadalo njalo nxa kudingakala, bangazuza uncedo lokudla kungela mbadalo;
• Asebekhulile (amaxhegu lezalukazi) bazakwelatshwa lokuthola imithi kungela mbadalo;
• Kuzakuba labomongikazi labo dokotela abafundele umsebenzi labazinikeleyo bephathe kuhle abantu; kumele sihloniphe ukuzinikela kwabo emsebenzini bathole iholo elihambelana lomsebenzi wabo;
• Abantu kumele bavunyelwe ukufa okulesithunzi, indleko zokungcwaba kumele zaneliswe nguzulu.

Ukuqhutshwa Kwembiko

• Kuzakuba lemisakazo ezimeleyo, amaphephandaba labomabona kude okuzaletha imbiko eqondileyo;
• Kuzakuba lokubhalwa kwendaba ezimqoka ezingasekeli hlangothi. Zonke inhlangothi zombangazwe zigoqelwe ngokulinganayo.

Akugobo lingeqondiswe

• Kuzakuba lokuxolisa kwalabo ababalesandla kuGukurahundi njalo kube lokuchaza obala ukuthi bakwenzelani;
• Abasindayo kuGukurahundi lemuli zalabo ‘abanyamalalayo’ kumele bathole inhlawulo;
• Izimbiza ezathathwa eNjelele eMatopo kweleMandebeleni kumele zibiselwe. Lokhu kwayenziwa yikuswelakala kwenhlonipho. Kumele kube lokuxolisana okugcweleyo;
• Abalahlekelwa ngesikhathi soMurambatsvina kumele bathole izindlu abazithenjiswayo njalo kumele bathole inhlawulo;
• Abakhokheli abahuquluza inotho yelizwe ngenkohlakalo kumele bahanjiswe emthethwandaba.

Ukuhlonipha Amasiko

• Umuntu wonke uzakuba lelungelo elilinganayo ekukhulumeni ngolimi lwakhe lokuzalwa lokunanza usiko lwakhe lomthetho wakibo;
• Izizalwane zeZimbabwe, ikakhulu abasakhulayo, kumele bafundiswe amasiko lemilayo yabo leyabanye. Ukwenzela ukuthi kube lenhlonitshwa kwamasiko wonke.

Ukuthula Lobungane

• Izizalwane zeZimbabwe ngomdabuko ngabantu abalobudlelwano labanye –Asitshengisele ubudlelwano lamazwe esakhelane lawo, kumkhono weAfrica lomhlaba wonke jikelele. Ukuze basincedise ukwakha ilizwe lethu leZimbabwe.

Bonke abathanda iZimbabwe abasixhase ekufezeni injongo yokuqondiswa kwamagobo kwezenhlalakahle lokuzothisa uzulu ngempela.

It has been established that eight members have been arrested, four women and three men. This number could be higher as reports that several members have not yet returned home are currently being investigated. Three members required medical treatment, including an elderly woman who was pushed to the ground by police causing her mouth to be injured. The arrested members are being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station. It is not known what charges they are facing.
 
One member was arrested before the protest began but her fellow protestors went ahead anyway, ignoring the plain-clothed officers present. The strategy of simultaneous multiple protests has become a signature of WOZA’s peaceful resistance and demand for delivery of promises made too lightly by politicians. A great spectacle was to be witnessed as the processions arrived in waves, coming from different directions.
 
One protest was due to start close to the police station as a test to see if they would respond with respect. The leaders of the protest changed the starting point at the last minute. In a show of courage they chose to start at the side of the police station, marching right by, turning to go to the appointed route. Many police officers looked out of windows and came out and shook their heads in amazement. It is thought that the police van that arrived at the Chronicle offices to beat the peaceful group came from the Central Police Station, meaning that they too over 10 minutes to respond.
 
One of the leaders was pulled out of the protest by an exited bystander who went on to explain that he had to tell her how exited he was to see WOZA putting pressure and asked her to keep it up. Other comments overheard from bystanders included, “police should leave these women alone and concentrate on real issues”; “these women are rocking the boat for change and accountability from our leaders”; “bravo WOZA, bravo, I bow before these women for their stubbornness about the problems we are facing.”

Once again three plain-clothes police officers tried to locate WOZA leaders Williams and Mahlangu but they were heard saying they could not locate them amongst the dispersing activists.

Songs sang by the activists included: “the sun is setting where am I going to sleep? I will sleep like a bird on the trees”; “we are filling up other countries – what is wrong?” and “we are going expose police harassment”. When the protest arrived at the Chronicle, the song changed to “men are failing to deal with the issue of the unity government’s inability to deliver a better life” and “the Chronicle does not want news!”

To read the demands that WOZA was marching for today, please see the Woza Moya newsletter below.

Please phone Bulawayo Central Police Station on + 263 9 71515 to ask why they it necessary to beat and arrest peaceful protestors and to demand the release of the WOZA activists.

WOZA leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, were due to appear in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court this morning for the ongoing saga of their arrest on 16 October 2008. The matter has been postponed until tomorrow, 15 October, however as the clerk of the court who is holding their file was not available. Their file is considered to be too sensitive to be held with other court documents and is apparently being kept by a senior clerk of the court who has it locked away. Although their case was due to be heard at 8.30 this morning, the clerk was not available to present the file.

The full panel of Supreme Court judges had met to consider the case on 4th June and had given a verbal ruling before they reserved judgement that the two women had been unlawfully arrested and that they should be looking to indict the arresting officers. The state had conceded in their response that the arrest on 16th October 2008 had indeed been unlawful. Judge Chidyausiku undertook to provide the written ruling before 7th July. Despite the fact that several requests have been made to the Supreme Court requesting the ruling, the written ruling has not yet been received.

Magodonga Mahlangu and WOZA are the recipients of the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 to honour courageous and innovative human rights defenders throughout the world who stand up against injustice.

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquaters in Harare

Watch video footage of the demonstration here: WOZA ZESA demo Harare 15.04.10

In his Independence Day address today, President Robert Mugabe spoke of the need for Zimbabweans to “foster an environment of tolerance and treating each other with dignity and respect irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation.” At the same time, four WOZA activists, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani were spending their fourth day in the cold, dark, filthy cells of Harare Central Police Station. Their crime? Exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and asking electricity service provider, ZESA, to improve their service and revise their flawed billing system. The demonstration in which the four women were arrested, together with 61 comrades who were released without charge later the same day, was entirely peaceful. The women have not been formally charged by police and yet have been subjected to an extended detention. Is this the tolerance, dignity and respect that the President is referring to?

Detention in appalling conditions is the reality for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe. 30 years of independence from colonial rule is an achievement worthy of commemoration. How much sweeter would it have been if the party that helped to liberate the people of Zimbabwe was now not actively involved in their oppression? It is time that the promises of the liberation war are delivered to the people of Zimbabwe.

Please continue to call Harare Central Police Station on (+263 4) 777777 or (+263 4) 736931 or (+263 4) 725803 or (+263 4) 733033 or (+263 4) 721212 to ask police officers why they are continuing to detain the WOZA activists and insist that they not be mistreated in custody.

To read a copy of the yellow card the WOZA protestors were delivering to ZESA, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

Mid afternoon today 9 March, the three Dube women were finally released. As a face saver, police made them sign warn and cautioned statements charged with ‘blocking the pavement’. If police can find witnesses they would have to proceed by summonsing them to appear in Court. But no police officers seem to be  forthcoming as witnesses or as investigating officers. WOZA view this as a victory for the naming and shaming of Officers Ngwenya and Mdawini who tortured collegues arrested earlier in the week.

Woza Moya!! Aluta continua!

Previous post for background –  Second night in jail for 3 despite cops refusing to prosecute

Today is international Women’s Day and our three colleagues, Eneles Dube, Janet Dube and Selina Dube,  arrested at the 7 March Women’s Day protest remain in custody for a second night. The Lawyer attending the case, Lizwe Jamela was himself arrested this morning so could not attend our members until they were released. As of close of business today, Law and Order officers admitted to Mr Jamela that as a result of the release of the previous 4 colleagues without charge, they cannot prosecutor this matter and had refused to accept the case and returned it to the arresting department. The head of this department could not take a decision and passed the docket to the Officer Commanding Bulawayo District requesting instruction on how to proceed.

Meanwhile our 3 colleagues remain in the hellhole that is Bulawayo central police station. There is no flushing toilets; no food and we have to bring food in to every meal and risk theft of this food by officers; no blankets; no access to medication by those on anti retrovirals; no access to water; filthy cells and harassment by police officers.  They have not had the right to see a lawyer.

The arrests saga seems to have become difficult to follow so we provide herewith a recap of the arbitrary arrests since 28 February 2011.

28 February 2011 – Three men, Gift Nkomo, Proud Pandeya, Noah Mapfuma of Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo are arrested, tortured and held for 48 hours before being arraigned with $50 each bail and surrendering of travel documents. They are reporting to the Law and Order Department of Bulawayo Central Police station twice a week and will reappear in court on 16 March 2011. Charged under C/S 37 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23: “Acting together with one or more other persons with him/her in any place realizing that there is a real risk or possibility of disturbing peace, security or order of the public”.

28 February 2011 – the afternoon of the same day, another 4 arrested. The 3 women and one man – Sitshiyiwe Ngwenya, Joyce Ndebele, Moreblessing Dube, Kholwani Ndlovu of Mabutweni Suburb in Bulawayo are held for 48 hours and tortured before being arraigned with $50 each bail and surrendering of travel documents. They are reporting to the Law and Order Department of Bulawayo Central Police station twice a week and will reappear in court on 16 March 2011. Charged under C/S 37 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23: “Acting together with one or more other persons with him/her in any place realizing that there is a real risk or possibility of disturbing peace, security or order of the public”.

1st March 2011 – Fourteen women from Mabutweni Suburb of Bulawayo are arrested late afternoon at a burial society meeting – 4 WOZA members, rest members of the public. Released late the same night without charge.

4 March 2011 – Another 4 women from Pumula in Bulawayo are arrested. They are Glory Ncube, Nomsa Sibanda, Monica Shema and Beatrice Ngwenya. After 48 hours and a solidarity protest by WOZA members, they are released as the state refused to prosecute the four. They had been tortured and Monica had money stolen from her by arresting police officers.

7 March 2011 – Three women, Eneles Dube, Janet Dube and Selina Dube,  part of the peaceful protest are arrested by Riot Police and taken to Bulawayo Central Police station. They are hidden away from lawyer’s access until they manage to get a phone call home to ask for food.  The remain in custody for a second night despite the fact that the Law and order department of the police responsible for this kind of case do not wish to process them for court as a result of the previous four released without charge. They await district commissioner’s further instruction. These three women seem not to have been tortured but access to them has been limited to verify this.

At this time we ask members of the public for solidarity in the form of phone calls to Bulawayo Central Police station calling for the release of these activists. Please call +263 9 72515 and ask for the ‘DISPOL’ who is the Officer Commanding Bulawayo District. If you fail ask for Detective Sergeant George Levison Ngwenya and ask him to change his violent ways.

Jenni Williams and Magondonga Mahlangu remain at Mlondolozi Prison near Bulawayo after being remanded on charges of kidnap and theft.  An urgent High Court application appealing against the refusal of bail for the two has not yet been heard.  The two women are not in good health, with Mahlangu suffering from arthritis of the spine, which causes her severe pain, since they are sleeping on the cement floor with no mattresses and have no warm water for bathing. 

As remand prisoners they are allowed one ten-minute visit a day, and WOZA has been able to take food and medications to them during these visits.  If there are sympathisers who would wish to visit them, we ask them to contact WOZA, so that arrangements can be made for them to accompany the daily trip which takes supplies.

We urge supporters to continue to telephone the prison to request that the two be treated according to Zimbabwean and international law during their stay in custody.

Useful numbers are:
Regional Prisons Headquarters (Bulawayo): +263 9 71458/71468
Mlondolozi Prison: +263 9 64228

Hundreds of members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) took part in peaceful street actions in 10 areas of Bulawayo today. The community-based demonstrations targeted local shops and businesses demanding affordable food on the shelves and an end to selling to cronies and the uniformed forces out the back door. The protestors also delivered an open letter to business owners and the ministers of Industry and Commerce and Home Affairs to demand meaningful economic reforms, rather than the unthinking slashing of prices. There have been no reports of arrests to date from any of the protests.

Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) then completed a morning of protest by marching for four blocks through central Bulawayo to TM Hypermarket with the same demands. This was MOZA’s first demonstration on their own. Plain-clothed police officers were seen collecting up the open letter after the protest and presumably it will be delivered through them to the respective ministers.

Activists targeted shops in Nkulumane 5, Mpopoma, Matshobana, Mabutweni, Njube, Nkulumane 12, Tshabalala, Pumula Old and North and Magwegwe. In the city centre MOZA targeted OK Bazaars and TM Hypermarket.

The open letter carried by the protestors outlined several demands to both businesses and government, including the request that government and the manufacturing sector should negotiate in good faith to find ways to produce more affordable food without compromising the living wage of workers; that the Price Control Task Force be reshuffled and be selected in a transparent manner and that government stop harassing shop owners and allow them to stock and trade freely and honestly at the price set. A copy of the open letter in full can be found below.

At 10am Tuesday 11 April 2017 Bulawayo based child members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) will march under the theme “Free Acceptable Education to Develop the Nation”.

The march will begin at the public library on the corner of 8th Avenue and Fort Street, proceed up towards Herbert Chitepo turning in toward the Mhlahlandlela Government Complex where they will hand over a petition. Over 200 child human rights defenders are expected to participate alongside 100 child mentors and Women Human Rights Defenders.

This march is a result of considerable civic education with child members since 2010 and forms part of WOZA ongoing campaigning for the full realisation of the right to education and the demand that the government of Zimbabwe fulfil its obligations to progressively realise this right.

The aim of the march is to provide children with a platform to freely express their views and opinions on matters that affect them; making them public knowledge for positive action to be taken.

Child participation is one of the core principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC); which asserts that children and young people have the right to freely express their views and that there is an obligation to listen to children’s views and facilitate their participation in all matters affecting their lives. The Constitution of Zimbabwe also provides for the right to participation in Section 61 – which states that “Children have the right to express themselves freely, and seek ideas and information” and in Section 81(1) (a) which puts emphasis on the right to be heard.

WOZA are known for civil disobedience protests since formation in 2002 but for this march, WOZA has formally invited the Zimbabwe Republic Police to the event and to participate alongside the human rights defenders. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has also been invited to observe the peaceful procession in central Bulawayo.
see what the children have to say through poetry
Childrens POEMS for the march