Dear Editor, We trust that our response will also be accorded the same space and prominence as was given to J. B. Mhiripiri’s letter and Allegations on ZIMTA. Given the level of ignorance about ZIMTA’s operations, governance and structures that the writer displayed in the “Mirror” article published on 24 October 2014, ZIMTA undertook a background check and can safely confirm that the writer, one J.B Mhiripiri is NOT a ZIMTA member. However, just in case Mhiripiri is a pseudo name for asomeone who is not in our systems, we wish to highlight that, before any teacher anywhere in Zimbabwe chooses to join the largest teacher trade Union in Zimbabwe, which of course is ZIMTA, they are taken through a lecture and education processof how the Union operates, its mandates, its governance and also how the negotiation process works. All this information is also available to the public through the ZIMTA website, zimta.org.zw and through ZIMTA offices and officers who are constantly on outreach programs and interacting with teachers. In addition, upon joining the Union, members are also given a list of what they should expect to benefit from the union and the roles that they are expected to play within the Union. As to whether all members then become active or inactive can beanotherstory. However, it appears that J.B Mhiripiri is an aggrieved person with so many unsubstantiated allegations to level against ZIMTA.Unfortunately most of the allegations are false, completely mischievous and uninformed. The allegations border on the defamatory side of the law. To begin with, ZIMTA does not own a fleet of 4x4Isuzus? He also goes on to say that officers hold several unwarranted and unsubstantiated meetings, the question is when and where are these meetingsheld?Mhiripiri is clearly misleading the public through the published article. Surely this qualifies for defamatory material in a widely read publication such as “The Mirror”. The confirmed non- member goes on to allege and misrepresent facts by stating that ZIMTA claims to represent members yet government dictates salaries for teachers? This is absurd, it is clear ignorance being displayed here by the non- member as he does not have a clue on the work done by the organization in which he or she falsely claims to be a member to. For the benefit of the writer, whose profession ZIMTA is not quite clear, ZIMTA is a trade union run for teachers and by teachers. Its operations are run in accordance with the ZIMTA constitution. Furthermore the decisions that guide the operations of the Union are all taken at ZIMTA National Conferences which are attended to by ZIMTA members every year. In the spirit of promoting transparency, ZIMTA’s accounts and accounting systems are audited every year and availed to the public in a clear transparent fashion.Mhiripiri is invited to come and scrutinize the auditedpublic statements in his own right as a member of the public. Finally, the writer seems to be annoyed by the fact that the Association owns official, 4 x 4 Pick Up Trucks. The answer to that is these are meant for easy access to teachers who are unfortunately not all based in urban centres like the writer, but are spread all over Zimbabwe. There is need to access all teachers through reliable, all-terrain vehicles and the decision to have reliable vehicles purchased for every province, was endorsed, by the ZIMTA highest supreme making body, the ZIMTA Conference. In conclusion, we would want to advise the writer that ZIMTA will continue to promote, advance and protect the rights of teachers without fear orfavour, because it is an association of teachers made by teachers. It is run in a transparent, democratic and professional manner which the writer through hook or crook cannot destroy through writing falsehoods. Attacking personalities in ZIMTA or vehicles driven by the same will not go in any way towards advancing the plight of the ordinary teacher. The advice to Mhiripiri is that he must concentrate on his own profession and leave ZIMTA alone, because it is an organization of professional teachers with a clear vision and mandate for the teachers of Zimbabwe. Daisy Zambuko ZIMTA PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 08:51:28 +0000
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