Nine members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) in Bulawayo were arrested on Tuesday following another demonstration against the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authoritys continued power cuts and tariffs.
One of the women is detained along with her 3 month old baby. As part of its campaign for a fairer system for residents, the group is calling for ZESA to install pre-paid metres for residents, who complain that they are being hit with ridiculously high bills.
WOZAs Magodonga Mahlangu told SW Radio Africa that ZESA can afford to install the metres, but it simply refuses to do so as it knows people will only pay for what they use. She says this will be a blow for ZESA, which is robbing residents.
We are seeing ZESA with brand new luxury cars and they even hosted a cocktail dinner party at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. It is a known thing that ZESA managers and staff are paid high salaries so they have the money, she said.
As part of the Tuesday protest, 150 WOZA members in Pumula, Bulawayo, marched to their local ZESA office carrying a mock coffin to symbolise the power utilitys burial. They began their march from a nearby shopping centre, intending to walk past the police station to the ZESA office, but a vehicle drove out and dispersed them.
Police officers on bicycles then chased the activists but many managed to double back to the door of ZESA to deliver the yellow cards and coffin. A drama ensued with residents shouting at police officers to stop chasing people as they do not have electricity themselves. All the police officers seem to come out to pick up and read the yellow cards, flyers and placards, a WOZA statement said.
As the protest dispersed, nine members were arrested, with the police claiming the demonstrators were blocking the pavement. By late afternoon they were still being held at Pumula police station. On Monday, six women from WOZA appeared in court to face charges of defacing roads in Bulawayo during another protest against ZESA last week. The state alleges the women were writing graffiti on the tarmac.
The six were released on $100 bail each and will appear in court again on 6th June. Mahlangu stated that the six women deny the allegations, but were forced to sign statements admitting to the charges. Under this duress, five of the accused admitted to the charge. This took place in the absence of their lawyers despite officers being well aware of the legal team. Over the weekend two homes were raided without any search warrant but no arrests were made, WOZA said.
The state case is based on malicious damage to property but they will have to prove what repairs are needed and how they have calculated the damage at US$345 when the paint used is normal road paint which is used to draw traffic lines and fades over time.
Post published in: Politics