Threat to gang-rape ZCTU boss’s daughter

By Alois Vinga

UNKNOWN persons Thursday threatened to gang rape Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary general Japhet Moyo’s school going daughter if the trade union leader and his colleagues persisted on “stupid” decisions during the main labour group’s wage based meetings.

The phone text message was among some of the threatening ones sent to four ZCTU leaders through their cell phones.

The union leaders threatened were Moyo, ZCTU president Peter Mutasa; vice president, Florence Taruvinga and deputy secretary general, Sylvester Mutindindi.

Read part of text messages sent on Moyo’s mobile number, “WHEN U GET TO THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE AND GENERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS THINK RATIONALLY AND DO NOT MAKE IRRATIONAL, POLITICAL AND SUICIDAL DECISIONS BECOZ WE WILL COME TO HAUNT YOU. GO AHEAD AND YOU WILL.

“IF U CONTINUE DRIVING THAT PRADO ADQ 2851CARRYING THAT BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OF YOURS TO XOOL. AND U CONTINUE TO MAKE STUPID DECISIONS AT THE EXECUTIVE AND GC MEETINGS.WE WILL GANG RAPE KAMWANA KAKO. WE HAVE ALL DETAILS AND MOVEMENTS.”

The messages, seen by NewZimbabwe.com, originated from an Econet number 0788950601.

Despite the threats, a defiant Mutasa insisted that nothing will stop the union from carrying out its mandate.

“We are proceeding with carrying out our mandate despite these barbaric actions. The State has a responsibility to protect citizens and if it is allowing this then the strong inference is that it is involved,” Mutasa said.

“Our general council is going to make its decisions as usual and based on the mandate from workers who are suffering.

“Government cannot stop protests by killing citizens and threatening to rape trade union leaders’ children. That is barbaric and pathetic.”

The ZCTU president said the international community especially the United Nations and International Labour Organisations must ensure trade union activists are not harassed by the state in Zimbabwe.

It is not the first time that the leaders of the country’s largest labour group have received threats sent through mysterious phone numbers.

They have received death threats on two other occasions before, including a parcel with live bullets.

The latest ZCTU meeting comes amid a Zimbabwean economic tailspin that has seen wages eroded continuously by ever rising prices of goods and services.