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The deportation of South African-based trade union educationists by Zimbabwean authorities
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
February 09, 2005

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has learnt with great shock of the deportation, today 9 February 2005, of two South African-based trade union educationists, Bobby Marie and Vihemina Prout by the Zimbabwe Immigration Officers.

The two educationists were deported soon after arriving at the Harare International Airport at 12.30. However, after being cleared and about to leave the airport, they were followed by immigration officials who demanded that they produce "security clearance letters" from the Ministry of Labour. Since they had no such letters, they were sent back on the same flight. The immigration officials said they had specific instructions that anyone who comes to see the ZCTU should have a clearance letter from the Labour Ministry.

Marie and Prout were visiting Zimbabwe on the instruction of the Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) to discuss with the ZCTU on the establishment of a trade union school in Zimbabwe that is supposed to start in May 2005.

The deportation of the two, who are attached to the Southern Africa Trade Union Leadership Academy, comes hard on the heels of the deportation of the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) delegation that had come to confer with the ZCTU on issues of mutual interest.

The ZCTU deplores the government’s action which is an affront to the individuals’ and organisations’ rights to freedom of association and calls on the Zimbabwean authorities to respect the ZCTU as an organization that has a right to operate in this country.

The latest deportation confirms that we are under siege. Our friends cannot have access to us.

Wellington Chibebe
ZCTU Secretary General

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