Woza members numbering 150 on Wednesday made their way into the city hall which houses the mayor’s offices .The Woza members who were holding banners and distributing fliers were blocked by senior police officers from seeing the mayor, Thaba Moyo.
According to a statement released by Woza National Coordinator, Jeniffer Williams, four of the five protests were also disrupted at the start of their march
by police officers who grabbed their banners and placards and
threatened to beat the members.
“The three days series of protests followed meetings with council officials
in their suburban offices. Since 1st November, over 800 members
conducted deputations or sent delegations to council officers to lodge
complaints about water problems. Officials at most of these centres
referred members to Council officers in Tower block where technical
staff work and to the Mayor at City Hall” said Williams.
The organization said it has been communicating with the council through the Public Relations Department with regards to their concerns and the council had shown its willingness to negotiate with them.
“Following up on this as a
genuine invitation, WOZA found their way blocked by Police on all the three
days of the protest campaign. Those that made it to the steps of City hall on were
greeted by very senior uniformed and those wearing plain clothes. The
officers' primary objective seemed to be to disperse the protest and
attempted to take WOZA leaders Jennifer Williams and Magodonga
Mahlangu to the police station which is located across the road to
discuss the water problems. When asked if they had a mandate to act
officially for city council they failed to give a plausible answer,” said Williams. Following the failure to seek audience with the mayor, Williams said WOZA is mooting to mobilize the “recall petition processes for Bulawayo councilors to be recalled y the electorate as they had failed to meet members or deal with the water crisis.
Post published in: News