By James Gwati- Civil Society groups in South Africa under the banner of the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum have voiced against gross human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

The grouping which is a network of progressive South African civil society organisations that include youth, women, labour, faith-based, human rights and student formations that are engaged in the promotion of democracy in Zimbabwe said President Emmerson Mnangagwa should observer the rule of law.

The grouping met with Zimbabwe CSO on Thursday, on the backdrop of the Covid 19 pandemic which has been used by the Zimbabwean government to stifle fundamental rights under the guise of enforcing lockdown regulations.

During the meeting, civic society organizations from Zimbabwe, including the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) and the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance briefed their regional counterparts on the prevailing situation in the country.