The Mail and Guardian
MAYA FISHER-FRENCH
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – February 27 2009

Although South Africa can technically afford to give Zimbabwe the R6-billion that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has reportedly asked for, it would have to be part of a broader financial bail-out package if South Africa does not want to throw good money after bad.

Yet assistance from other countries has not been forthcoming as potential lenders are not convinced that Zimbabwe is on a real road of change while Robert Mugabe still holds power.

Stanlib economist Kevin Lings says the national budget does make provision for a contingency reserve, which this year is budgeted at, coincidentally, R6-billion. This money is put aside each year in case of a natural disaster such as floods where government needs to provide urgent assistance to its citizens.

Lings says government did indicate last year that this reserve could be used for other types of disasters when it considered using the reserve as an emergency bail-out for Eskom. Zimbabwe’s case could be argued as a disaster, which has a significant impact on South Africa’s financial and political stability, but this would leave South Africa short, should natural disasters hit our shores.

Lings says a figure of R6-billion is not significant, accounting for only 0.25% of GDP and pushing our budgeted deficit from 3.9% to 4.15% of GDP. However, it could impact on South Africa’s cost of funding. This year the South African government will be going to market to raise R185-billion. Given the scarcity of capital globally, any additional borrowing could increase the total costs of South Africa’s funding needs. “South Africa can afford this loan; the question is whether this will be a continual drain,” says Lings.

Efficient Group economist Dawie Roodt says that for Zimbabwe to recover, the country would need a significant injection of cash and that South Africa could not go this route alone. “Others will have to chip in as well, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and even the International Monetary Fund [IMF],” says Roodt, who adds that this will only happen if the political solution is accepted.

The US and Europe have already stated that they would want further evidence that the rule of law and democracy are in place. With the Zimbabwean government using a constitutional loophole to keep MDC politician and deputy agricultural minister designate Roy Bennett in jail after being granted bail, it is yet to demonstrate a respect for the law.

Although details of what Zimbabwe has requested from South Africa are not official, reports have suggested that the R6-billion request would be used to cover the Zimbabwean government’s obligations to civil servants and other essential items for the next six months. If R6-billion would only stave off the bills for six months, the magnitude of financial assistance will be far greater. Tsvangirai said before his meeting last Friday with Finance Minister Trevor Manuel that Zimbabwe would need in the region of $5-billion to help fund the economy’s recovery. Donor organisations estimate that figure to be closer to$10-billion.

Roodt says that follow-up loans will be needed and it is these loans that would start to impact on South Africa’s credit rating and financial stability.
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Lings says that a normal channel for a small country requiring financial assistance would be the IMF, but Zimbabwe probably sees its African neighbour as a friendlier creditor. “There would be financial and political conditions attached to an IMF loan,” says Lings, who adds these would include regular report-backs and visits by IMF teams to ensure compliance. “At this stage these conditions may be too onerous for Zimbabwe.” South Africa as a soft touch will not go down well with South African citizens, who would rather see the money spent at home to deal with our own unemployment and poverty crisis.

It is clear that a more detailed and fully comprehensive package, which includes other lenders, would have to be in place before it would be financially sensible for South Africa to sign off on any financial assistance, yet there may be political pressure for the South African government to show its support and legitimise the Zimbabwean unity government by putting our money where its mouth is.

During his budget address earlier this month Manuel said South Africa stood ready to coordinate financial support for Zimbabwe once Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister. Manuel made it clear that South Africa would use its influence to co-opt other countries into a rescue package.

According to Reuters, Manuel said: “There are a number of countries that stand ready to assist; we have to lean on them to help the Zimbabweans deal with the worst ravages.” He also added that he had raised the issue with some of the G7 countries and hoped to put together a larger financial package. This week the treasury declined to comment on a financial package, stating that it would require firm proposals to be put to the national treasury.

Apart from political pressure, South Africa has a vested economic interest in the recovery of Zimbabwe. Most of the products and service would be sourced from South Africa, such as fertiliser and plant equipment. South African firms would be involved in the re-building of infrastructure.

But South Africa will have to tread this path very carefully. Already questions have been raised about the misuse of the R300-million agricultural aid package South Africa gave to Zimbabwe last year. Zimbabwe should not make the mistake of thinking that South Africa will hand over money unless there are guarantees that these funds will be used in a proper manner and not to buy Mercedes-Benzes for ministers, as has already happened this week.

Going into an election year, government will have to convince South Africans that taxpayers’ money is better spent in Zimbabwe than on our own poverty alleviation needs. The rise in xenophobic violence would suggest that many South Africans will have little sympathy for Zimbabwe’s woes, although the hope that millions of Zimbabweans would return to their country, if it stabilised, could provide the government with an angle to sell the deal.

More ministers than offices
Last week Zimbabwe swore in its biggest government ever. When fully constituted, the new government will have 71 members.

This week, new ministers received new Mercedes-Benz luxury sedans and Nissan SUVs. Government officials refuse to reveal how much will be spent on the ministers. Further spending is also planned on vehicles for 300 members of Parliament.

The ministers know first-hand how deep in the red Zimbabwe is — they arrived at government complexes to take up their posts to find there was not enough office space for all of them. Those who did get offices had no furniture, stationery or staff.

A senior Western diplomat in Harare said aid to Zimbabwe’s new unity government is on condition that reserve bank Governor Gideon Gono is sacked and more substantial political reforms are made.

Sweden’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Sten Rylander, on Tuesday said donors wanted Gono replaced first as they could not trust him with aid. Rylander claims Gono “diverted” $400 000 his country had given to Save the Children for humanitarian work in northern Zimbabwe. He also accuses Gono of having misappropriated funding from the Global Fund for HIV/Aids.

“We cannot just release funds; we are waiting for sound policy changes, the rule of law and sound macroeconomic policies,” he said.

“We are waiting for policy change; we cannot rush in with aid. The government has to deal with the leadership in the central bank and that has to be done urgently.”

Under Zimbabwean law, only President Robert Mugabe can fire a central bank chief.

Other diplomats who spoke to the Mail & Guardian are also concerned about the bloated size of the new government, which at 71 is the biggest Zimbabwe has ever had. Donors also want to see an independent anti-corruption commission set up to check graft before any substantial financial aid is granted.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai appeared at the weekend to be addressing these concerns, saying on Sunday: “I wish to announce it today and now that our government will not tolerate any form of corruption. Corrupt and unscrupulous business people will be sought out and will be prosecuted in their numbers.”

On Western scepticism of the new government, Tsvangirai said they should “accept that Zimbabweans have a right to choose and they have decided that the inclusive government is the only way out”.

Tsvangirai has estimated the long-term cost of rebuilding Zimbabwe at up to $5-billion. A coalition of Western donors, set up two years ago to prepare for a transition, estimates that Zimbabwe needs up to $10-billion to stabilise its economy. This includes funding for reinvestment in infrastructure, restoring farm production and supporting its currency.

There is no concrete information from the Zimbabwe government itself on what aid has been pledged in total and how much of it has already been received. Gono says the country has secured $500-million in credit lines from international financiers, who he has declined to name.

Gono has said, however, that the financiers are worried by apparent conflicting signals on policy from leaders of the coalition government. He said the credit lines had been extended after Zimbabwe instituted the currency and economic reforms announced in January.

Patrick Chinamasa, who as acting finance minister last month presented a $1.9-billion national budget for 2009, said Zimbabwe had received $200-million in budgetary support from “international cooperating partners”, whom he also did not identify.

Since January, Zimbabwe has allowed the use of foreign currencies across the economy, authorising US dollar trade on the stock market and in the informal economy. Controls on the repatriation of earnings by foreign investors have been lifted as have restrictions on the sale of farm produce and gold.

Although there has been some support for these reforms from donors, there has not been enough to encourage real aid to start flowing.

Donors are, however, more open to direct support to humanitarian sectors such as health and education. David Coltart, the education minister, told the M&G that he needs urgent support of $438-million for the next six months. But he concedes that “in the current economic climate and in the context of world recession, that is a completely unattainable figure”. He was confident, however, of raising $80-million to pay teachers.

There is little support from either Zanu-PF or the MDC for adoption of the rand. Leaders are wary of having to cede economic policy and political independence to South Africa. A senior Mugabe aide said adopting the rand would turn Zimbabwe into “a giant supermarket of South Africa, the way many countries in the rand zone are currently”.

Tsvangirai himself has said he supports the existing policy allowing the circulation of multiple currencies over adoption of the rand. — Jason Moyo

The Herald
27 February 2009

THE Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has ordered schools not to turn away children for failing to pay fees while awaiting a Cabinet decision next week on recommendations on a new fee structure.

In an interview yesterday, Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart confirmed the development.

“I met with senior management in the ministry and we agreed on a proposal to be presented to Cabinet on Tuesday,” he said.

Asked on the nature of the proposal, Minister Coltart said: “Suffice to say it seeks to strike a balance on the need to raise money for schools and the need to cater for the disadvantaged members of society.”

He said he hoped Cabinet would accept his ministry’s recommendations and resolve the issue of school fees as a matter of urgency.

The minister said Government’s policy on school fees was clear.

“Our policy is clear. We do not want children turned away from school because of non-payment of fees at this juncture.”

Schools have demanded huge amounts, in hard currency, from parents as fees for the first term.

The amounts vary, with some as high as US$2 500 a term.

Many parents have since transferred their children from such schools after failing to raise the amounts demanded while others have sued the schools concerned.

Last week, Government struck a deal with teachers’ organisations for their members to return to work by March 2 to allow the resumption of normal classes for the 2009 school calen- dar.

According to the agreement, all schools should be fully functional by March 9.

Minister Coltart is expected to make recommendations to the Ministry of Public Service for the granting of amnesty to teachers who absconded from service over the past two years for economic reasons.

The Herald
By Shepherd Chiware
26 February 2009

Harare — GOVERNMENT must play a key role in the complete overhaul of sport in Zimbabwe and render this sector consistent with the challenges facing the country.

The Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, must urgently engage national sports agencies, sports federations and other key stakeholders to find ways of integrating sport into the current national agenda of development, nation-building and peace-making.
We have to find ways on how sport and development can join forces to improve the state of our country.

The greatest challenge facing Zimbabwe at the moment is development.

The central values of sport, which have been underestimated for a long time, can be useful in areas where traditional development has not always succeeded.

Government must facilitate a national conference, and invite all key partners from different sectors in the important area of national co-operation on sport and development.

The work for development, nation-building and peace-making through sport can include projects in such areas as conflict resolution, employment creation, poverty alleviation, the rights and protection of children, social integration, health promotion, life education, environment protection, overcoming all forms of abuse, combating crime and drug abuse, gender, inequality, violence, etc.

For example, the use of role model sports stars as goodwill ambassadors for national development and peace-making can help raise awareness about the many benefits of physical activity and sports, for preventing the communicable and non-communicable diseases, promoting health, well-being and social development.

Because of their universal popularity and appeal, these sports stars will help to highlight the role of sport as a cost-effective and sustainable way to generate major public health gains.

The recommendations emerging from the proposed national conference will culminate in the launch of a national declaration on sport for development and peace.

Zimonline
By Patricia Mpofu
26 February 2009

HARARE – Education Minister David Coltart on Wednesday said he expected learning to have resumed at all schools across the country by early next month.

In a statement to the media, Coltart said an agreement had been reached after protracted negotiations with the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) to get all schools functioning again.

“We jointly expect all teachers to report for duty by the 2nd of March 2009 and that all the schools will be fully functional by 9 March 2009,” he said.

Coltart disclosed that his ministry and the two teachers unions agreed on seven points, chief among them being that teachers who have been absent from duty due to the industrial action be given amnesty and that the quantum of the March 2009 salaries and allowances would be agreed upon through negotiations.

He said it was the medium and long-term goal for the new government to bring teacher’s salaries in line with regional standards.

“It is agreed that to facilitate the return of teachers we will recommend as a ministry to the Public Service Commission that there should be an amnesty for teachers who have left the service through force of economic circumstances or disruption of all education systems between January 1 2007 and March 9 2009,” reads part of Coltart’s statement.

He said it has been further agreed that the 2008 educational year would not be revisited, adding that the ministry intended regularising the 2009 calendar as soon as possible.

“In this regard, the 1st term and 2nd Term will end as originally advised. The 2nd Term will begin earlier on Tuesday 5 May instead of 12 May. The 3rd Term will begin 2 September instead of Tuesday 8 September,” he said.

Very little learning took place at public schools in 2008 as teachers spent the better part of the year striking for more pay or sitting at home because could not afford bus fare to work on their meagre salaries.

There has been virtually no learning at public schools since the new term officially began on January 27 because teachers were either on strike or unable to come to work.

The collapse of the education sector along with that of the public health system have come to symbolise the decayed state of Zimbabwe’s key infrastructure and institutions after a decade of acute recession.

Once a model African economy Zimbabwe is grappling with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis seen in acute shortages of food and basic commodities, amid an outbreak of cholera that has killed nearly 4 000 people since last August.

A new unity government formed two weeks ago by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has raised hopes the country could finally emerge from its crisis.

But the success of the Harare administration hinges on its ability to raise financial support from rich Western countries that have however said they will not immediately help until they are convinced Mugabe is committed genuinely share power with Tsvangirai.

The Chronicle
Comment
25 February 2009

Schools are finally scheduled to open on Monday next week for the first term, a month after they were supposed to open. As the saying goes, it is better late than never.

We would like to applaud the teachers for putting the nation first and showing compassion for the schoolchildren by committing themselves to returning to work next week. The teachers should be commended seeing that though there have been negotiations, there has been no firm commitment or mention of figures as to how much they will get.

This is a sign of maturity by the professionals who have given the new Government a chance to resolve their grievances that the generality of the population are aware of.

The Government on Monday reached an agreement with the teachers’ representatives that teachers should report for duty on Monday next week while the Government looks into their grievances. Also, teachers who deserted the profession two years ago will be accepted back without any questions asked.

The Government, though short of financial resources, has already shown its willingness to get Zimbabwe working by making a commitment to pay civil servants in foreign currency and we believe that teachers will get something that compares reasonably with what obtains in the region.

It is our hope that as the teachers return to work on Monday they will fully dedicate themselves to their duties to make up for lost time since their role in moulding our nation cannot be overemphasised.
We also would like to send out an appeal to all teachers to reapply since all the signs are there that the good times will soon be back. They should take advantage of the amnesty and re-apply for teaching posts, and this should apply even to those doing menial jobs in neighbouring countries and overseas.

The Government that is in place right now came about after protracted negotiations showing the need for dialogue to resolve issues, and it is gratifying that the same method has been used in getting our teachers back to the classrooms.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Art and Culture, Senator David Coltart expressed the Government’s commitment to addressing the plight of teachers but emphasised the need for teachers to get back to class.

“We have committed ourselves that we will do all that we can to address the plight of teachers. Salary negotiations will continue while pupils are back in classrooms. However, it was impossible to come up with a figure because we are still consulting with donors and the Government. Once figures are available, we will then give them to teachers’ unions for discussion,” said Senator Coltart.

Teachers have received US$100 allowances along with other civil servants while at some schools that have opened parents were already paying teachers allowances in foreign currency.

It is our hope that as soon as the teachers get their pay, money set aside for their allowances by parents would be put to other use to improve the state of our schools.

Also, the adjustment of the school terms should make up for the lost time and the new Government should ensure that lines of communication remain open with all civil servants to avoid a recurrence of similar industrial action.

We salute the teachers for taking the right decision to return to work and urge all those who left the profession to come back and rescue the future of our children.

Zimonline
By Nokuthula Sibanda
Wednesday 25 February 2009

HARARE – Zimbabwean doctors who have been on an indefinite strike to press for more pay and better working conditions have resolved to go back to work apparently after the new government promised to address their grievances, a top union official said.

“We are now going back to work strictly on humanitarian grounds,” said Amon Serevegi Hospital Doctors Association president.

“The government has not promised us much, but we have made an undertaking that we will go back to work.”

Serevegi could not be drawn into disclosing what sort of concessions they had been given by the government.

The strike by mostly junior doctors last year led to a virtual collapse of the country’s health delivery system.

The doctor’s strike was later joined in by nurses, making the situation in state hospitals – the source of health services for the majority of Zimbabweans –virtually untenable.

Standards and service at the public health institutions that were once lauded as some of the best public hospitals in Africa have over the past decade collapsed after years of under-funding and mismanagement.

The announcement by the doctors came hours after teachers, who were also striking for more pay, announced that they were returning to work following meetings with Education Minister David Coltart.
Coltart met leaders of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) last week to plead with the two unions that represent the country’s teachers to call off the strike has been going on since last year and had grounded the school system.
Meanwhile, PTUZ president Takawira Zhou said on Tuesday although they had agreed that teachers are going back to work, government should make an undertaking that teachers’ children do not pay fees.

“Although we have agreed to go back to work, government must make sure that children for teachers do not pay fees,” Zhou said.

“Government must also make sure that none of the teachers who were not reporting for work are victimised since they were not at work as a result of an economic crisis as they did not have bus fares while the other reason is that most of them were victims of political violence especially in the rural areas.”

Zim Daily
By MIRANDA DUBE
Published: Wednesday 25 February 2009

ZIMBABWE – HARARE – Scores of ordinary and advanced examinations markers yesterday thronged Belvedere Technical Teachers College for the second and final phase of the marking schedule.

The markers who came in their droves were seen scrambling for accommodation at Belvedere Technical Teachers College from where they are operating from forcing authorities to look for alternative accommodation outside the college.

“About 70 markers were ferried to Seke Teachers’ College (Monday). There was not enough space to accommodate them here,” said one official.

The official said some of the markers were scheduled to leave for Mutare yesterday in a development that will create space at Belvedere Technical Teachers College.

Some of the markers had stopped reporting for duty since January 2007 turned up this time around following indications by Government that they would be paid in foreign currency.

The teachers’ organisations also proposed a blanket amnesty to absconding teachers a position which the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart agreed in principle although he said he would seek permission of the Ministry of Public Service as the matter was out of his jurisdiction.

Early this week, Coltart said treasury had dispersed some money for the markers’ allowances.

He said he was waiting for a report from the Zimbabwe School Examination Council on markers’ turn out. However, Minister Coltart last week said markers should check with the irrespective provincial Zimsec offices to find out where their subjects were being marked and the script rates.

He said those who took part in the first phase of marking and those coming for the first time would be paid either in US dollars or South African Rand.

The markers would also be reimbursed any travelling expenses incurred during trips to marking venues. The ministry has held meetings with the donor community and asked for financial assistance to cover the marking costs as well as resuscitate the education sector.

New York Times
By CELIA W. DUGGER
Published: February 25, 2009

JOHANNESBURG — Two weeks after Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was sworn in as prime minister and joined President Robert Mugabe in governing, the archrivals are openly matching wits and wiles in a struggle to dominate the political landscape of a country whose people endure hunger, cholera and political repression.

A senior official in Mr. Tsvangirai’s party, Eddie Cross, wrote recently that this contest was playing out “building by building, street by street, close combat between two forces.”

So far, Mr. Mugabe and hard-liners in his party, ZANU-PF, have remained true to form, ruthlessly claiming the prerogatives of power. But Mr. Tsvangirai and major opposition ministers — especially those for finance and education — have shown a willingness to confront them and seize the initiative where they can.

Mr. Mugabe, the 85-year-old patriarch who vowed during the election last year that only God could unseat him after nearly three decades in office, made a typically daring power grab on Wednesday through the state media that are his mouthpiece. He had The Herald post a list of the senior civil servants he had unilaterally picked to lead every ministry, something forbidden by the power-sharing agreement he and Mr. Tsvangirai signed.

Mr. Tsvangirai, who is supposed to manage the day-to-day operations of the government, called a news conference in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, and issued a statement saying the move violated the agreement, declaring it “null and void.”

But their skirmishes have sprawled far beyond the halls of government. Even as Mr. Tsvangirai has vowed to restore the rule of law, militias associated with Mr. Mugabe’s party have sought to take over white-owned farms, though a regional tribunal of judges ruled that the owners were entitled to keep their land under the terms of a treaty that Zimbabwe and other southern African nations had adopted.
The violent, chaotic seizure of thousands of white-owned farms from 2000 to 2003 helped destroy Zimbabwe’s commercial farming sector and contributed to the collapse of food production, economists say.

Mr. Tsvangirai said Wednesday that a new wave of what he called illegal farming disruptions must stop and told the ministers of home affairs — one from his party, one from Mr. Mugabe’s — to “bring the full weight of the law down on the perpetrators.”

But Mr. Tsvangirai has made the same demands privately to Mr. Mugabe, and so far the shared control of the Home Ministry and the police force it oversees has evidently left Mr. Tsvangirai unable to exert authority.

On Wednesday, Mike Campbell, the farmer who originally challenged the government’s seizure of his farm in the regional tribunal and won — though only after he and his wife were viciously beaten during a land invasion in June — found his farm in Chegutu again under threat. A group of invaders associated with a powerful ZANU-PF official who wants his land came demanding that he leave.

Mr. Campbell, 76, and his wife, Angela, 66, departed for Harare, but their son Bruce and son-in-law Ben Freeth stayed to guard the place. Mr. Freeth said in a telephone interview that the family requested police protection in the afternoon, but by evening it was not forthcoming.

“We will try to sort out anything that comes,” said Mr. Freeth, whose skull and ribs were fractured during the attack by invaders in June.

Mr. Tsvangirai has also failed to win the release of human rights and political advocates who have been abducted by state security agents. Even Roy Bennett, a white farmer who is one of his closest allies and his choice to be deputy agriculture minister, remains in a fetid prison cell in the eastern city of Mutare on what the opposition says are trumped-up terrorism charges, even though Mr. Tsvangirai had personally guaranteed that Mr. Bennett would appear in court and a judge on Tuesday ordered his release on bail.

But Mr. Tsvangirai and his combative finance minister, Tendai Biti, have managed to come up with enough money to give each soldier, police officer, teacher and civil servant a monthly allowance of $100 in foreign currency. The army has been plagued with desertions, and most schools have ceased to function because hyperinflation has made teachers’ salaries so worthless that they do not even cover bus fare to work.

Two million of Zimbabwe’s three million schoolchildren are now out of the classroom, the new education minister, David Coltart, estimated. This week, he persuaded teachers to go back to work, though they had gotten the token $100 only for February, with no guarantees for the future.
The leaders of the two main teacher unions said in interviews on Wednesday that they were convinced Mr. Coltart was sincerely trying to raise more money from donors to pay teachers a decent salary — and had asked the 62,000 teachers they represent to go back to work.

“We are banking on the hope and trust that the minister will deliver on the promises that have been made,” said Tendai Chikowore, leader of the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association.

Afrol News,
25 February 2009

Zimbabwean teachers have agreed to end a year long strike after the government promised to review salaries. Teachers had demanded to be paid in foreign currency to cope with the country’s hyperinflation currently estimated at 231 million percent.

According to the state run newspaper, The Herald, the newly appointed Education Minister David Coltart, said the government has agreed to review teachers salaries and address some of their grievances.

Mr Coltart had also reportedly requested UNICEF and other donors for US$ 458 million dollars to kick-start the education system, which has been grappled by long dragging strike.

“I am very sympathetic to the fact that many of the teachers who didn’t report for duty simply couldn’t, because they didn’t even have enough money for the bus fare,” he said.

President of the Progressive Teachers’ Union in Zimbabwe, Takavafira Zhou, said teachers have agreed to return to work but have requested exemption from paying school fees for their children.

Mr Zhou said that the deal also includes teachers to not be punished if they fail to report to school for economic and political reasons. “We also agreed that after three months, teachers’ salaries must be reviewed to meet regional standards of R15,000 ($1,500) a month,” he said.

Early this year, the Zimbabwean government postponed reopening of schools for two weeks pending the completion of the marking of 2008 national examinations. However, to-date, the results are still not published.

Last year, teachers began a year on a very low note, dragging their feet demanding about US$800 per month, which the government said it was ridiculous. Teachers in Zimbabwe are among the least paid in the civil service.

Earlier this month, the central bank cut 12 zeros off the local currency reducing one trillion dollars to one dollar, for the country to be able to cope with the inflation. The government also announced that civil servants will be paid in US dollars.

SW Radioafrica
Violet Gonda
25 February 2009

5 WOZA members have been detained at Harare Central while 9 are being treated for injuries, after being severely beaten by police on Wednesday. The group were waiting to present a petition to David Coltart, the new Education Minister, when they were set upon by riot police.

WOZA leader Jennie Williams said the pressure group had an official appointment to meet Coltart and had been gathering peacefully waiting for him.

She said 450 activists marched to the government building but were violently dispersed by the riot police “who were banging their shields and singing, “today we are going to beat you” as they descended on the group and viciously began to do so. They later changed their song to why are your husbands allowing you to demonstrate?”

As the women were driven off to Harare Central police station they were heard singing “we want education for our children.”

WOZA has embarked on a campaign to have the non-operational education sector declared a ‘national disaster’ and to allow children who were disadvantaged by the education crisis last year an opportunity to repeat, at no cost.

They had wanted to hand a petition with 25,000 signatures to the Education Minister, who criticized the manner in which the police handled the situation.

The Minister, who is proving to be more tolerant than his predecessors, promised WOZA that he would do everything in his power to ensure that every child goes back to school.

But the so-called inclusive government is facing many challenges since its formation two week ago.
The police continue to use unnecessary force to deal with peaceful protestors, the political detainees are still in custody in gross violation of the global political agreement and Robert Mugabe continues to making important government decisions without consulting his partners in the power share government. This was best illustrated this week when Mugabe announced the appointment of permanent secretaries – all from his party.