Mnangagwa govt's move to suspend teachers illegal, says court

THE High Court Wednesday ruled that the move by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government to suspend striking teachers from work without pay was illegal.

The minister of Primary and Secondary Education Evelyn Ndlovu on February 10 issued a statement announcing the mass suspensions, prompting an immediate High Court application by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) challenging the legality of the move.

Artuz was represented by lawyers from Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Noble Chinhanu and Tatenda Zvobgo.

"ARTUZ challenged such an application and today the High Court judge Maxwell Fatima sat to hear that matter. We managed to present arguments before the court and the judge has given us an order to the effect that the press statement by the minister of primary and secondary education is illegal and unconstitutional. We managed to prove that our client has a right not to be suspended in such a manner which was in violation of the public service regulations of the nation," Chinhanu said.

"The High Court has issued an order saying that the press statement given by the minister of the primary and secondary education is now suspended and the matter being finalised on a final order. As of now the press statement that was issued by the minister of primary and secondary education is of no effect," Chinhanu added.