Mela Umntanakho Ngo 2008

U2008 uqale ngokwenyuka kwenhlawulo yemali yesikolo okwedluliseyo. Zithe zivalwa nyakenye izikolo bekulababalisi abathize,ingwalo zokubala phose bezingekho njalo inengi lezifundi zihlale phansi emakhaya ngoba zingenelisi inhlawulo zesikolo ebezisenyuka njalonje. Lonyaka akulabungcono ilizwe lifahlakele lanxa ulemali yakho kawufinyeleli ukuyithola,uthi lanxa usuyiphethe ofuna ukukuthenga kunzima ukutholakala. Akukho okusijabulisayo empilweni njalo kumbalwa okungasenza sibobotheke, kodwa abantwana sivame ukubathola bebobotheka njalo behleka bajabula nje ngoba bayazi ukuthi kulomuntu obathandayo njalo ozabanakekela. Inengi labazali liyazinikela kanzima ukuze abantwababo bafunde. Kwamanye amazwe kulicala ukungahambisi umntanakho esikolo abazali abehluleka ukwenza lokho bazithola besentolongweni, kodwa eZimbabwe umumo ubenza bengenelisi ukupha ilungelo elimqoka lemfundo kubantwababo.

Uhulumende wethu,onguhulumende ‘wabazali’ lalaba abazithi bangabalweli benkululeko, bayazi kamhlophe ukuthi impi yaliwa kulezithembiso, esinye ‘ESEMFUNDO YAMAHALA KUZENGA LEMFUNDO YAPHANSI’. Igazi lachitheka ukuze lesisithembiso sifezeke. Kulokuthi sikholise izithelo zempi yenkululeko, sibone nyakenye inhlawulo yezikolo isenyuka ngenkulungwane ekhulwini (1000%), lonyaka siqala futhi ngokwenyukiswa kwenhlawulo zesikolo ngezigidi lezigidi zamadola. Uhulumende uthi kasenelisi ukukhangela indleko zesikolo kanye lokuhlawula iholo lababalisi kumele inhlawulo ikhokhwe ngabazali. Kanti ilizwe alisela mali na? Nxa kunjalo kungani kulemali yokuhlawula (amapholisa agqoke ezabo) amaCIO ukuze benze ingqe yini, kuziphathamandla zikahulumende zona kasikhulumi bahamba ngamanzi ezimota ezinhle okwamagama? Kanti eyabo imali yokwenza santando bayithola ngaphi njalo kungani limali le ingaphiwa isikhwama sezemfundo ukuze isithembiso semfundo yamahala yezenga laphansi sigcwaliseke?

Izenga lemfundo yethu kayisanakekelwa iyekelwa ibhidlika nje bengagqize qhakala njalo ikusasa yabantwabethu isibengumnikelo kukhuselwa abafuna amandla ezombangazwe sikhuluma ngequla elilenkohlakalo, elingela zwelo,amasela ezinakekela wona kuphela. Singaqhubeka sithule sisekela betshontsha ikusasa yabantwabethu na?

Kungaba yinto enhle na? Ukuthi abazali baqhubeke besekela ngamavoti abezombangazwe abatshontshe ithemba lamaphupho abantwabethu? Inengi labantwabethu seliziphilisa ngendlela ezingalunganga ezinjengokutshontsha lokuthengisa imzimba yabo njalo inengi labo lidela amakhaya liyekhatshana kwamanye amazwe baze bafe bebodwa bengela zihlobo labangane.

Kuliphupho lomzali wonke ukuthi abantwabakhe babe lekusasa enhle – ukuthi bazakhula kuhle beqinile,bejabula,bandise umdeni wakwabo baphumelele empilweni bamondle laye nxa esekhokhoba. Ngesikhathi sempi yenkululeko sathenjiswa imfundo yamahala kuzenga laphansi ngoba sasifuna ukuthi ilizwe lonke libe ngelifundileyo. Ngakhoke ukwekela izenga lemfundo libhidlike kulicala – kuze kube nini sidubeka ngokona kukahulumende lo? Batshontsha ikusasa yethu okufana xathu lokutshontsha impilo zethu.

Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuthi sibophe ziqine simele ikusasa yabantwabethu lekusasa yethu

Asikhumbuleni amazwi ahlakaniphileyo abokhokho bethu – ikhotha eyikhothayo – ngakhoke mondle angakhula uzakondla lawe.

Amanye amazwi ahlakaniphileyo athi intandela yobulembu obunengi buyasibopha nko isilo sesilwane. Asifundeni inhlakanipho kubokhokho bethu – nxa singamanyana singabuyisa ikusasa yabantwabethu endleleni eqondileyo.

IWOZA iyalimema ukuthi lihlanganele lathi ekumeleni ikusasa yabantwabethu.

Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu remain in custody in Bulawayo Central Police Station tonight following their arrest earlier in the day. The seven other members that had been arrested before the demonstration had started have all been released without charge. It appears that they were not beaten during their brief detention. They were released one by one throughout the afternoon after the intervention of the lawyer.

Three members have received medical treatment for the beatings they received from riot police outside Mhlahlandlela. One woman has a broken finger, the other two bruising. All were beaten with baton sticks.

It is unclear what Williams and Mahlangu are being charged with as the lawyer has still been denied access by the Officer-in-Charge of the Law and Order Section in Bulawayo Central, Detective Chief Inspector Ntini.

Food has been allowed in this evening however and the pair appears to be in good spirits, although apparently Mahlangu was beaten outside Mhlahlandlela along with the rest of the group.

The order for the group to be beaten apparently came from Chief Inspector Mabhari, a senior uniformed police officer based at Bulawayo Central Police Station. He was also the officer that arrested Jenni Williams.

WOZA members that were monitoring the demonstration report that as the group marched through the streets, some of the comments from passers-by included a police officer commenting to another, “now that’s a proper demo” and a man remarking to another, “these women are doing a noble thing.”

Please continue to call Bulawayo Central Police Station on +263 9 72515, 61706, 63061 or 68078 to demand that Williams and Mahlangu not be mistreated in custody and to be released speedily.

In memory of Julia Chapeyama and Thembelani Lunga

The outbreak of cholera in epidemic proportions has brought Zimbabwe back to the attention of the region and the world.  Zimbabwe’s complex emergency, which is now causing so much suffering, taking lives and breaking the society apart at its seams, has been several years in the making. A key factor in creating a perfect environment for the breeding and spread of the cholera bacterium has been the neglect of essential services by the ZANU PF government over the years. But this has only been one effect of complete mismanagement and deliberate disregard for the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans. ZANU PF rule has brought a decline in basic standards of living for many years now; but in the months while Robert Mugabe has clung to power in the face of rejection by the people at the polls in March this year, the downward spiral has changed into a precipitous plunge.

In August this year, just when the first cases of cholera were being reported in Harare and Chitungwiza, WOZA undertook research designed to present a picture of the living standards of our members in Harare-Chitungwiza and Bulawayo.  Some of the results of that study are now available, and present a stark demonstration of the circumstances, which have provided the backdrop for the cholera epidemic.

Please click here to read the communique: communique-declaring-a-health-emergency-is-not-enough

Over 1,000 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) took to the streets of Harare today to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace. Riot police responded but no arrests have been reported to date but WOZA leaders are still in the process of confirming the safe return of all activists in their areas.

Six simultaneous protests converged on the offices of the United Nations in Kwame Nkurumah Street from different starting points. The peaceful group of men and women sang as they marched ‘Father, send the Holy Spirit to bring peace to Zimbabwe’ and ‘we are united as WOZA, speaking with one voice that we want peace’. At the UNDP offices, a petition asking the UN to help intervene in Zimbabwe to restore the health and education sectors was handed in to officials in the building. The petition (included in the September Woza Moya newsletter) also called on the UN to pressure the inclusive government to stop the harassment of vendors and ordinary Zimbabweans by police.

Placards carried by the demonstrators included: ‘there is no peace in Zimbabwe’, ‘we want peace’ and ‘there is no education – is this what the GPA means?’ Bystanders called their encouragement to the demonstrators, including a uniformed police officer that urged the group to walk faster so that they could reach their target before the riot police arrived.

The theme of the protest was ‘Social Justice will bring Peace of Mind’ and its aim was to carry a message to the inclusive government that Zimbabweans still do not have peace of mind a year after the power-sharing deal was signed. Life for ordinary Zimbabweans remains precarious and human rights activists continue to be beaten and harassed for exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest. Since the power-sharing deal was signed in September 2008, 40 WOZA activists have been arrested on seven separate occasions after peaceful protests, WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu spent three weeks in Mlondolozi Prison and hundreds of peaceful Zimbabweans citizens were brutally beaten by police for merely speaking out about the hardships in their lives.

Through today’s march, WOZA is calling on the government of Zimbabwe to implement all aspects of the Global Political Agreement to ensure that Zimbabweans can have peace of mind and to guarantee the right of ALL Zimbabweans to live in peace. The scars of violence, recent and decades-old, still affect Zimbabweans whilst the daily struggle for survival continues with no respite. Social justice and a meaningful constitutional process needs to be prioritized by the government instead of political games.

The march also marked the International Day of Peace which is commemorated annually on 21st September and which encourages individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace.

Refugee Seven:

The Refugee Seven appeared on 6th January 2010. They were due to hear the magistrate’s ruling on whether they could be removed off remand whilst their case is being heard before the Supreme Court. The ruling was not ready however and so the group was further remanded to 12th January. On the 12th, the magistrate was not available and so the group was again further remanded to 25th January. On the 25th, the magistrate finally gave her ruling, denying the activists the right to be removed off remand. They were further remanded to 25th February 2010.

Williams and Mahlangu:

The duo had appeared in Bulawayo Magistrates Court on 18th December 2009 but Magistrate Msipa was not ready with her ruling on whether the pair could be removed off remand. They were further remanded to 21st December. On the 21st, she refused the request to remove the activists off remand saying that they had brought the delay upon themselves by taking a challenge to the Supreme Court. The pair was further remanded to 24th February 2010.

At the beginning of the year, defense lawyer, Kossam Ncube made an urgent application to the High Court for Magistrate Mspia to be reviewed, claiming that her ruling as being ‘anter-alia grossly unreasonable and irregular‘. A copy of this application can be found in the legal documents folder.

The 10-day waiting period elapsed without the state responding to the application. It was passed unopposed on 28th January 2010 and an order for the activists to be removed off remand was issued.

WOZA is delighted that Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu have finally been removed off remand in a case that has been ongoing since 16 October 2008 but are concerned that the ruling from the Supreme Court has still not been received.

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) has received updates of police sanctioning the right to protest by Hwange women and discrimination of women in Chitungwiza through operation Chipo Chiroorwa (women get married).

Information reaching WOZA indicates that over 100 Hwange women attempted to march to the Hwange Colliery General Manager’s office to demand their husbands pay. Police reaction group acted overzealously and arrested the ring leaders on Sunday night and then when the demonstrations went ahead, they used excessive force to disperse the women. The women who were gathered to march from Hwange Colliery’s villages 2, 3, and 5 to the general office. Instead of engaging the peaceful women whose husbands have not been paid for 5 months, the company remains silent and no comments were made by the husbands whose wives whose were forced to take action.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Chitungwiza women have been arrested and charged for ‘loitering’ for merely exercising their right to entertainment during the evening hours since Friday, 4th of October 2013. This is gender discrimination as no men were arrested or charged under this selective application of loitering laws. Additionally this operation is demeaning by implication that a woman who goes out at night is unmarried.

WOZA wish to remind the Zimbabwe Republic Police that the rule of law by use of baton sticks and excessive force should have ended with the promulgating of the new constitution where gender equality is a founding value and principle. WOZA call for the urgent and immediate formation of the gender commission and ask women to prepare submissions to flood the commission with word to create a culture of respect for the equal treatment before the law and equal rights for all genders in Zimbabwe.

WOZA extend solidarity support to women of Hwange and Chitungwiza and ask them to stand fast for gender equality and the struggle for a better standard of living for living for all Zimbabweans.

All three WOZA members arrested yesterday, including Magodonga Mahlangu, were finally released at 1pm today. They have been charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act – section 140 – malicious damage to property and section 143 (b) – ‘ the crime of malicious damage to property or negligently causing serious damage to property is committed against property that is owned, possessed or controlled by the State, a statutory corporation or a local authority.’ These charges are as a result of recent calls to choose love over hate that have appeared on roads in the western suburbs of Bulawayo. There is no evidence whatsoever to link any of the three arrested with the road markings however.

The two other members arrested, Rosemary Siziba and Sitshiyiwe Ngwenya, were picked up from their homes late last night and taken to Donnington Police Station, where they were held until lunch today. Rosemary Siziba was with her one and a half year old daughter. Mahlangu spent the night at Figtree Police Station, some 40km outside of Bulawayo.

None of the members were physically harmed but Law and Order officers Ngwenya, Mathonsi and Mutyayambidzi threatened Mahlangu with death whilst still in Bulawayo Central Police Station; telling her that she would meet the same fate as her dog, Snowy, which was battered to death by police officers during a raid on Mahlangu’s home in recent weeks.

In the last week, police have raided and searched the homes of two other members looking for paint, although they did not find any in either home.

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it. Rabindranath Tagore

 Still standing strong for our children
– a Mother’s Day message from WOZA

As Mothers Day draws near, we, the mothers of the nation, have examined our existence and that of our children and decided that enough is enough. We are deeply concerned about the current political impasse. The collapse of the schooling and health systems need to be urgently addressed by a new government but these issues are being ignored due to the election impasse. We cannot keep on waiting however; our lives are at stake. We voted in peace on 29 March but we are being punished for choosing to vote for a change.

Behind the fist
The ‘fist’ is the trademark of Robert Mugabe. We have seen how this fist works. People in Matabeleland and Midlands, supporters of ZAPU, were killed during Gukurahundi in the early 1980’s. Residents of Porta Farm also paid a high price for Mugabe’s hatred of Ndabaningi Sithole. In 2000, Mugabe launched violent land invasions to punish Zimbabweans who refused his constitutional amendments, and we are still paying the price of hunger today. In 2005, Operation Murambatsvina was designed to quell rising dissent and support for the Movement for Democratic Change after the 31 March 2005 election. When he saw the true results of the March 29 election he launched Operation MaVhoterapapi (where have you voted).

Mhosva haitongwi nekurwa – to use violence is to admit defeat

Recognising WOZA’s role as human rights defenders, we therefore call on Robert Mugabe to immediately hand over power to the winner of the presidential election, Morgan Tsvangirai. Mugabe as the leader of a so-called ‘liberation war party’ has failed to deliver social justice. The heroes who lie buried at Heroes Acres and in unmarked graves in surrounding countries died for this ideal – one man one vote.

We do not want a presidential election run-off because this will result in more violence as we campaign for the candidate of our choice. There can be no free and fair environment in any district of the country at present with violence as it is.

In preparation for the run off, it seems Zanu PF have made moves to ‘starve’ any supporters of the pro-democracy activists. WOZA members report being unable to buy mealie meal if they do not produce a Zanu PF card. Many supermarkets now form two queues one for Zanu PF members which is serviced and another queue whose occupants go home empty handed.

We ask the real war veterans to help us stop the violence and speak out against those perpetrating the violence in their name. We know ‘war veterans’ met villagers in Mukuwa, Matabeleland South and told them – “we are declaring war”. Is this why they ordered weapons from China? To kill ordinary Zimbabweans who simply want a better life and the full realisation of the liberation war promises?

Induku kayakhi muzi – fighting does not build a home; war does not build a nation

We call on the uniformed forces to realise that there is no peace in the absence of justice. Respect that Zimbabweans have voted for change and refrain from being used to perpetrate violence and to carry out injustices. When change comes, and it will come, WOZA will demand an audit of all civil servants, including the uniformed forces. We, your neighbours in our communities, know you for the things that you do, both good and bad. We will remember. Hear us loud and clear – your leaders may get ‘generous retirement packages’ but you will be left to face the justice of the law and the anger of the people.

When you see us in the streets, we come in peace with love in our hearts and you have the choice to respond likewise and allow us to do our work as mothers of the nation. Good actions will also be remembered and rewarded.

As mothers we advise that during this period, Zimbabweans must remain calm but committed to making their vote count. This is a time for courage and also a time for humility. It is in this spirit that we call on the Chief Election Officer, Lovemore Sekeramayi, to use his powers under the 5th Schedule of the Electoral Act, to declare the candidate with the ‘greatest number of votes’ the winner forthwith. He knows who won fair and square and should declare Morgan Tsvangirai the winner. Our lives depend on his courage and sense of decency.

We also call on SADC, the African Union and United Nations to show their solidarity for the people and respect that Zimbabweans have already chosen a new president and that their vote should count. The current government are trying to subvert the laws of the land and allowing Mugabe to stay in power when he lost the election.

Change will come. The people’s voices will be heard and respected.
We just need to keep standing strong.

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WOZA would like to thank the South African Transport and Allied Worker’s Union (SATAWU) for their solidarity in refusing to offload the weapons that the government has bought to kill us with from the Chinese ship of death. The continued support from the International Transport Workers Federation and the promised solidarity from the Angolan transport union are also appreciated. Amandla ngawethu!

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We would like to salute the courage of those Zimbabweans who refuse to be cowed by violent bullies and who continue to stand up for what is right. Special mention should be made of Tabitha Marume who was shot in the stomach by CIO agent, Daniel Romeo Mutsunguma, who is based at the Zimbabwe Embassy in Washington DC.

A true shero, Tabitha had been part of a group of seven MDC activists who had walked to a torture camp to demand the release of their colleagues who had been abducted by soldiers.

Her courage in the face of hatred and violence inspired over 10,000 villagers in Makoni West to attend her funeral, despite threats made against them.

Sister Tabitha, may your soul rest in eternal peace.

WOZA would also like to salute all the others that have lost their lives for believing that a better tomorrow is possible.
Your names will be remembered. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.

WOZA leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, appeared in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court again today in a continuation of their trial on charges of disturbing the peace. The matter had been postponed from Thursday last week to give the Magistrate time to rule on a constitutional application on the grounds that the sections under which Williams and Mahlangu are charged violate their constitutional right to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

As expected, Magistrate Msipa ruled that the application was frivolous and vexatious and that the trial should proceed immediately. This is despite the fact that there is still an appeal pending before the High Court on the merit of the charges.

The state did not have their witnesses ready however and the matter was due to be postponed to 2.15pm when defence lawyer, Kossam Ncube indicated that the defence would be placing another constitutional application directly before the Supreme Court in Harare as allowed under Section 24 sub-section (1) of the Constitution. In this section, the litigant is allowed to appeal directly to the Supreme Court if they feel that they are still aggrieved.

The matter has now been postponed to 11.15am on Wednesday 18th March for the defence to submit evidence of the application to the Supreme Court.

Members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) marched through the streets of Bulawayo today to mark International Refugee Day, commemorated annually on 20th June. Four simultaneous protests began at 12.30pm under the theme – real people, real needs. The four different protests began at different locations, one of which was outside Bulawayo Central Police Station, converging on the offices of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper to test if media freedom exists in Zimbabwe today.

Three of the four simultaneous protests, including the one that had started outside the police station, arrived at the offices of the Chronicle at which point they were attacked by uniformed police officers who brutally beat them, arresting many. The fourth demonstration was stopped en route by police who also viciously beat the peaceful protestors. At this point, we are still trying to verify how many people have been arrested and how many require medical treatment.

WOZA traditionally marks International Refugee Day as we believe Zimbabweans are refugees in their own country – displaced, unsettled and insecure. Government is still targeting informal trading, the only means of survival for most people and so many find themselves unable to provide for themselves and their families. Informal traders are harassed by police, their produce often looted and stolen. In a country where all goods and services are now charged in foreign currency, the inability to earn forex places the vulnerable even more at risk and forces more and more Zimbabweans to flee their country of birth to try and provide for their families. Through these peaceful protests, WOZA is reminding the inclusive government and the world that the people of Zimbabwean remain the victims of this crisis – it is time to put the needs of the people first. ALL Zimbabweans deserve to enjoy the full rights of citizenship; amongst others, the right to earn a living, the right to personal security and the right to adequate shelter.

More information will be made available as it is received.