21.11.2002

Food control

In a situation of economic freefall and rampant Zanu-PF corruption, Zimbabwe is facing hunger on a mass scale. Rosa Zulu of the International Socialist Organisation reports on the first steps towards workers' self-organisation

Over 1,300 people marched in demonstrations organised by the National Constitutional Assembly on Saturday November 9 in townships of three of Zimbabwe's largest cities - Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. The demonstrations were called over demands to end food shortages, and for transparency and an end to the distribution of food to Zanu-PF card-holders only. The marchers were also protesting against the unaffordable prices charged by the bosses, and demanded new labour laws to protect workers. The focus of future demonstrations will be around these key demands - the ending of food shortages, profiteering by supermarkets and 'Zanufication' of food supply. In Mutare and Bulawayo there were demonstrations of 150 people each, in both cities the march being led by 10 to 12 members of the International Socialist Organisation. Harare saw 1,000 demonstrators marching in six townships across the city, led by 15 members of the ISO. In two townships (Mufakose in Harare and Entumbane in Bulawayo), members of the national students union led the demo, whilst in Mabvuku in Harare marchers fought battles with riot police firing tear gas. The marchers in Mufakose occupied the local branch of OK, the biggest supermarket chain in the country. Members of the ISO who led the demonstrations in all these areas earned the respect of rank-and-file members of the NCA who now want to work with and under the leadership of the ISO. At a meeting in Highfield just five days after the November 9 march, people wanted to go on an immediate demonstration to occupy banks and supermarkets. The meeting agreed to the formation of a consumer club that would oversee the distribution and selling of food in the township and agreed that any outlet selling bread at $150 a loaf (instead of the affordable $60 a loaf) would be targeted, with their stocks of food forcibly removed and distributed for free. We intend using our respect gained from this weekend's leadership of the demos to push for: * Refocusing demos and activities in townships on a 'starvation' theme, targeting supermarkets. * Holding impromptu meetings at popular public places and shopping centres on the topic 'Mealie-meal/bread shortages, Zanufication of food distribution and NCA demonstrations - who is responsible and how can we fight back?' The idea here is to show that the food shortages are a result of both Zanu-PF corruption and the capitalist system itself - which produces for profit and not human need, including profiteering by capitalist supermarkets. The way forward is self-activity and action (jambanja) by the masses, including occupation of supermarkets and demanding democratisation of food distribution through consumer clubs run by the residents themselves, and not Zanu-PF structures or vendors. We must organise to force supermarkets to provide basic goods to the consumer clubs.