Zwnews publishes the full text of the statement from CCC Namibia below:
Artuz leaders and their legal team escape death through a whisker.
23 May 2021
Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia learns with heavy heart the unfortunate occurrence of a terrible car accident in Gokwe with Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe leadership and their legal team as victims this afternoon.
Present were the organic, eloquent, pragmatic and fearless President Obert Masaraure, Vp Christine Kanyumba, the resilient Godfrey Chanda and the terrorised, Gerald Tavengwa. These diligent teachers were in the company of their competent Lawyers, Liberty Chimwaradze and Tino Bhero.
The deadly accident transpired when the tormented teachers were rushing to attend a disciplinary hearing of the illegally charged Gerald Tavengwa who is stationed at Mafungautse High School. Accidents are accidents but ZanuPF should put their hands off our hardworking teachers. Gerald Tavengwa had his house stoned by ZANUPF thugocrats threatening to butcher him before he vacated his workplace. It sounds sadist to hear that after ZanuPF youths broke into his house, the Public Service proceeded to charge him for absenteeism after he formally requested for a transfer.
We condemn this attempt to stifle labour unionists’ voices against slave wages. It is the right of the suffering teachers to demand a living wage from the corrupt and insensitive government. Unleashing stinging ZanuPF youths on innocent teachers is not only satanic but also primitive and barbaric. As social democrats, we absolutely condemn the persecution of our educators in the motherland. Our message to Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and their legal team is that accidents should not deter them from fighting against labour injustices. We wish you a speedy recovery so that you can soldier on defending labour rights in the education fraternity.
We are quite cognisant that Artuz membership and leadership together with their defence Advocates are being incarcerated for standing firm against suicidal policies in the education sector. The Union of the moment is consistently castigating unsalted peanuts, visibly and audibly demanding the restoration of pre-October 2018 salaries of US$540. We condemn in absolute terms the perpetuation of violence on educators. Gerald Tavengwa is innocent! ZanuPF must stay away from our schools.
In a nutshell, Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia salutes salutes the legal team which consists of Liberty Chimwaradze and Tino Bhero for standing defending fair labour practices. Thank you for fighting together with our downtrodden teachers who are being exploited for a pathetic remuneration amid State-sponsored violence. #SafeSchoolsCampaign
Zwnews
