THERE was heavy deployment of security forces at Beitbridge
Border Post yesterday in anticipation of the Congress of South African Trade
Unions (Cosatu), pressure group #Tajamuka/Sesijikile and Children of the
Zimbabwe War Veterans Association’s demonstration against Zimbabwean
authorities’ protracted human rights abuses.
#Tajamuka and Cozwa who had threatened to join the
protests, were conspicuous by their absence on the Zimbabwean side of the
border, while the South African Police
Services (Saps) confined the Cosatu demonstrators to a
section of the road, off the main highway linking South Africa and Zimbabwe and
away from the border post.
Traffic flowed smoothly between the two countries and
people conducted their businesses as usual although there was an unusual high
security presence on both sides of the border post.
Cosatu led a demonstration in solidarity with the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions, whose leaders have been charged with treason for
allegedly leading a nationwide demonstration against fuel price hikes which
later degenerated into violent scenes last month.
The placard-carrying Cosatu members slammed the gross human
rights violations perpetrated by the Zanu PF-led government and the “systemic
abuse of power and repression against leaders and members of the trade union
movement led by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions”. They want the
government to stop sponsored violence and respect workers’ rights. Newsday
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