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Herald article a smear campaign against the ZCTU
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
April 12, 2005

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is surprised by the false information contained in the front-page article of The Herald 12 April 2005 entitled "ZCTU leaders physically attacked at meeting."

It is very astonishing to note that The Herald has taken it upon itself to lead the smear campaign against the ZCTU leadership with the help of a few so called 'disgruntled' affiliate union leaders who have gone full throttle in engaging the press about the ZCTU instead of following the right channels of communication.

On the day of the ZCTU General Council meeting, two Herald reporters came for a "press conference" purportedly at the invitation by the ZCTU yet nobody had invited them neither was there a press conference. There is an indication that either the Herald is working with these affiliate leaders or the affiliate leaders are the ones who are approaching the Herald. The question is who is working with who?

While the ZCTU as a democratic organization believes that it is within the rights of these affiliate leaders to scrutinise the operations of the labour body, their actions are becoming libelous as much as they are gratuitous and smack of external influence aimed at destabilising the ZCTU.

All decisions implemented by the ZCTU Secretariat are approved by the General Council, which comprises a member from each ZCTU affiliate. It then boggles the mind to realise that the same people who sit in the General Council are now questioning the decisions and resolutions at this particular moment in time when they have been party to the decisions made.

For public information sake, Mrs. Lucia Matibenga is not on a ZCTU salary and the Secretariat has never at any time sanctioned any activity without the approval of the General Council. The issue of President Matombo was actually agreed to, at a special General Council meeting on 23 January 2004. (See attached statement)

The issue of the Informal Sector is very clear and all the leaders are aware that this programme was sponsored by the Commonwealth Trade Union Council (CTUC). It is CTUC policy that they handle their accounts directly while the ZCTU was the implementer and only provided signatories who in this case were, Wellington Chibebe in his capacity as ZCTU Secretary General and Elijah Mutemeri who was the Project Coordinator. Audited accounts for 2002 and 2003 are available while the 2004 audited accounts are almost ready.

On allegations of corruption, it is a requirement that the ZCTU sends its audited accounts to the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Child Welfare, the ZCTU has always done this and the Ministry has not accused the organization of corruption at any time. The same accounts are also circulated to affiliates.

These audited accounts are available for scrutiny by any interested citizens

ZCTU
Information Department

Visit the ZCTU fact sheet

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