The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has met its Zimbabwean counterparts today after the union federation was turned away at Harare airport yesterday. Cosatu spokesperson Paul Notyhawa said the two federations would meet in Musina in South Africa’s Limpopo province instead. “The meeting will cover all the topics which would have been discussed in Harare,” he said. (3-FEB-05)
This article was first released by the South African Press Association yesterday. It has been edited for republication here.
The Cosatu delegation had initially intended to drive to the Beit Bridge border post to meet the Zimbabwean Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) there. Instead, the 20-strong delegation was expected back at Johannesburg International airport yesterday after Zimbabwean police – as anticipated on this website earlier this week – turned them away at Harare airport.
-You should have requested permission
The trade unionists of the two countries had only been able to exchange visual greetings through the glass barriers, said ZCTU president Lovemore Matambo. Expressing disappointment at the turn of events, he added: “We were iin communication with the minister [of labour, Paul Mangwana]. He should have told us, rather than embarrass people like this.” The Cosatu delegation went to the country on the ZCTU?s request to discuss matters “of interest to the workers”. Zimbabwe Minister of Labour Mangwana said Cosatu should have requested permission via the South African Department of Labour before arriving.
-We only came to meet fellow trade unionists
Cosatu has expressed outrage at the latest turn of events. “The government?s action strikes at a fundamental human right — for a trade-union body to associate freely with its fellow trade unionists in another country,” it said in a statement. “In our view, the mission did not break any laws and complied with international laws on freedom of movement.” Cosatu said it did not seek to undermine or disrespect the Zimbabwean government, but sought an opportunity to gather facts on the ground. “Therefore, there were no grounds on which to deny Cosatu entry into Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean government?s action confirms reports that it is contemptuous of human rights and civil liberties.”
