Union Leaders Claim Death Threats Over Strike Proposals
31 January 2019
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Correspondent|PROGRESSIVE Teachers Union of Zimbabwe leaders claimed Wednesday they received death threats from anonymous callers for pushing for a national strike over poor remuneration and working conditions.

The union leaders also claimed that State security agents were visiting schools in remote areas, threatening them against participating in the planned nationwide strike.

“The merchants of violence have resorted to threats directed against PTUZ leadership, with threats that they can burn us in our homes at night. Most of the threats are directed at secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe, with some such claiming to be untouchables. Our message is very clear, that we do not eat threats. We have nothing to fear except fear itself,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou is quoted by the NewsDay.

The PTUZ president said programmes and communications officer, Ladistos Zunde, had also received numerous threats.

Majongwe took his case to Braeside Police Station.

“Necessary measures have been taken to report the cases against the rogue elements, some of whom claim to be connected to a Chegutu notorious politician.

“Let it be known that you don’t shoot at the messenger, but at the message. Our message is clear that teachers are starving. Anyone who doubts this must visit a teacher’s house and his/her children.

“No amount of threats and vilification will stop PTUZ leaders from amplifying the legitimate labour demands by teachers,” Zhou said.

Contacted for comment, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was out of office and would check with Braeside police.

“If the matter has been reported, police will take swift action to make sure anyone behind the crime is brought to book,” he said.

Majongwe said even ordinary teachers were being harassed and intimidated by suspected State security agents.

“I am disappointed that ClO (Central Intelligence Organisation) operatives are visiting several schools, collecting names of PTUZ members, phone numbers, addresses, marital status and position in the union. They are also demanding the same from our offices in all provinces. This is a sad chapter we thought we had left,” Majongwe said.

PTUZ secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe
Zhou said members of his union had heeded the call to strike.

“Several teachers gave heed to our call for withdrawal of labour, particularly in Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo; Mashonaland East, Central and West. Midlands, Masvingo, Manicaland and Harare had mixed responses, with half of teachers going and the other half giving heed to our call for withdrawal of labour,” he said.

He added that while the Apex Council would keep negotiating with government on behalf of other civil servants still at work, “teachers will negotiate from the trenches”.

Zimbabwe’s public sector unions were divided on Wednesday over whether to launch a national strike after wage talks with the government failed, leaving the country on edge over the possibility of more unrest.

Zimbabwe was rocked by violent protests for three days in mid-January that led to a brutal security crackdown.

President Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba said troops would stay on the streets and the state would block the internet again if violence flared.

The security forces’ heavy-handed response raised fears that under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the country was sliding back into the kind of authoritarianism seen during Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule.

Teachers and other state workers are demanding wage rises and payments in dollars to help them stave off spiralling inflation and an economic crisis that has sapped supplies of cash, fuel and medicines in state hospitals.

Rights groups say at least 12 people were killed this month after a three-day stay-at-home strike over a fuel price hike led to street protests and a crackdown by security services. The government says three people died.

At a meeting with unions, the government proposed to give land to build houses and food hampers for employees, union officials said. Public sector unions had on Monday issued the government with a 48-hour ultimatum to make a new salary offer or face a strike.

The Apex Council, which represents 17 public sector unions, then failed to agree on whether to hold a strike during a short meeting that broke down as officials accused each other of either working for the opposition or the government.

“The Apex Council meeting ended prematurely and people walked out. There is no consensus. How do we go on strike when our fellow unions are coming and saying some unions were paid?” said Raymond Majongwe, secretary general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.

He said his union was among those accused by colleagues of being paid by the opposition and donors to go on strike and cause violence, charges he denied.

The biggest teachers union has called for a strike on Feb. 5.