Christopher Makaza.
History has taught us that people can go to war, they can strike, they can go into the streets in protest, but at the end you will have to sit down and talk, we cannot do away with dialogue, says Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) President Peter Mutasa during the commissioning of the Tripartite Negotiation Forum in Harare last week.
Mutasa said the importance of social dialogue especially in crisis periods was self-evident, giving case study of South Africa during the transition from apartheid and more recently, Tunisia during the democratic transition after the Arab Spring of 2011 when they established the National Council for Social Dialogue as an institutional framework for national consultations and went on to agree on interventions for socio-economic recovery.
Mutasa highlighted that the launch of TNF would provide an impetus to the people`s quest to find a lasting solution to problems facing the nation.
“Your Excellency, the Zimbabwe Labour Movement is pleased to be part of this historic moment in the history of the working people of Zimbabwe. It is historic that for over two decades we have been waiting for this occasion. The launch of the TNF is therefore a step in the right direction.
“The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has in fact been promoting the social dialogue approach to crisis responses, particularly in fragmented societies to achieve reconciliation, confidence and nation-building, inclusive recovery and sustainable development,” he said.
Mutasa said it was interesting to note that countries where social dialogue proved most resilient, with experiences of social partnership and well established social dialogue institutions reacted more rapidly and efficiently and were better equipped to the economic and political storms.
Mutasa`s mindset contradicts that of the opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa who refused to join President Emmerson Mnangagwa`s initiated national dialogue which other political figures who participated during the 2018 harmonised election are affiliates.
