Cosatu 'hustled' out of Zim

2004-10-27 08:08

Johannesburg - Congress of SA Trade Union delegates were trundling from Musina to Polokwane in a minibus taxi on Wednesday morning, after having been hustled out of the country "through the back door".

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said they hoped to arrange for some better transport in Polokwane.

Both Cosatu and the international federation of unions strongly condemned the deportation of the 13-member delegation - which was evicted from the country despite a court order forbidding it, said Craven.

He said the Zimbabwean intelligence minister's claims that the federation was working with Tony Blair were "utterly ludicrous".

"We reject this with contempt," he told Sapa.

Zimbabwean authorities first tried to get the 13 members of the delegation on a flight back to South Africa on Tuesday night, but there were no flights available.

They then ferried the union representatives to the Beit Bridge border post by bus, with out informing them of their destination, and left them there.

A minibus taxi from Musina fetched the group at the border.

While the SA foreign affairs department has so far defended Zimbabwe's right to "determine and apply its own immigration laws as it may deem appropriate", Craven said Cosatu planned to put pressure on government to act on this matter:

"We feel the government must agree that there is a problem of human rights in a country were a trade union federation cannot send a peaceful lawful delegation without being deported."

The delegation was on a fact-finding mission, intending to meet with Zimbabwe's labour movement, civil society groups. It also requested a meeting with government.

Last week the Zimbabwe ministry of public service, labour and social welfare said the mission was "not acceptable" because it planned to hold meetings with groups critical about the government of Zimbabwe.

Cosatu decided to go ahead with the mission, and it flew into Zimbabwe on Monday evening.

Delegate leader Violet Shibone said she felt the group had accomplished something in their brief visit to Zimbabwe.

"We spoke to the ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions) and their affiliates. We did not get to speak to any civil groups but it shows that the people shared something with us."

Delegation member Simon Boshelo told how the authorities "decided to take us out of the airport through the back door".

"Whoever was getting us out of the country, used the army, the intelligence services, and the police," Boshelo said.

- SAPA