COSATU concerned about Zim, DA election posters removed, Forum plans global platform

Forum plans global platform


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JOHANNESBURG – The Zimbabwe Diaspora CSOs Forum will host the first global Zimbabwean Diaspora International Conference in April 2007.


The forum is a national network of some18 different civic society organizations that are based in South Africa.


“The Diaspora conference will seek to create a global platform that will discuss both the short and long term role of the millions of Zimbabweans now living outside the country,” said Daniel Molokele, spokesperson for the Forum.


The conference will seek to set up a global forum to provide leadership for all Zimbabwean institutions and organizations are based in the diaspora and adopt a visionary policy document to define the role of the diaspora in the political and socio-economic development of Zimbabwe from both a long term and short term perspective.


Prior to the global conference, the Forum plans to host two preparatory conferences. The first one will be held in April 2006 and will be attended by delegates mainly from the Zimbabwean institutions and organizations based in South Africa.


The second will include delegates from South African institutions and organizations that have shown a vested interest in helping to resolve the crisis situation affecting Zimbabwe. – Own correspondent



DA election posters removed



PRETORIA – Ahead of the summit held last week by South African President, Thabo Mbeki, with leaders of the “progressive” left-centre nations such as Britian’s Tony Blair, Sweden’s Goeran Persson and New Zealand’s Helen Clark, at the Didimala nature reserve in Hammanskraal/Nokeng north of here, election posters of the Democratic Alliance were systematically removed from the area, reports the DA.


South Africa is set to have local government elections on 1 March 2006.


In the period ahead of the weekend conference DA posters of Clr Dr Clive Napier were similarly removed from the environs of the diplomatic airbase at Waterkloof in Centurion where staffers for the visit passed through.


Local councilor and candidate for Ward 1, Stanley Rens, witnessed posters in Nokeng Tsa Taemane being removed by persons wearing T-shirts belonging to Thabo Mebki’s African National Congress. Two vehicles were also noted alongside the road with another person holding a DA poster. As a local organizer he knew it could not an authorized agent of the DA involved.


Further along his drive he noticed all the DA posters had been removed. Local member of the Gauteng Provincial legislature, Rika Kruger, further noted that there were no ANC posters along the same road at the time.


The Democratic Alliance in the National Capital called on the ANC to explain these events to the satisfaction of itself, the Independent Electoral Commission and the visiting heads of state and their entourages and show how such actions are compatible with the conduct of free and fair elections in a democratic country.


The DA has asked those who unlawfully removed the posters to step forward and identify themselves and members of the public who may have witnessed these events have been asked make a report to the South African Police Services or their local DA branch office. – Own Correspondent




COSATU concerned about Zim



JOHANNESBURG – The Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU) says it is deeply concerned about worsening attacks and police raids on fellow labour union members in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).


“Recent events in Zimbabwe have confirmed COSATU’s analysis of the situation. The economic and social collapse, which we predicted is now a reality. Unemployment, hunger, mass emigration and now the electricity crisis all point to a catastrophe,” said General-Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, last week.


“The trade unions are facing new, more serious attacks from the government. Numerous police raids, bogus allegations of corruption and currency offences, and the infiltration of stooges into the unions are all being used to try to destroy the labour movement.”


He said there was grave danger that police would plant incriminating material on unionists in order to frame them.


“The COSATU Central Executive Committee (CEC) agreed that COSATU must play an active part in the Zimbabwe Solidarity Campaign,” Vavi added.


He did not specify the course of action his union would take against the Zimbabwean government but reiterated that very soon COSATU would face Harare for its actions.


COSATU’s reaction comes in the wake of disturbing activities in Zimbabwe following the arrest of 182 women, children and university students from NUST were arrested by police. – CAJ News

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