Third BOCISCOZ play on Zimbabwe performed in Francistown March 2010

The Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) will host its third play about the relationships between Batswana and Zimbabweans living in Botswana, on Tuesday 23 March 2010 in Francistown. The official opening of the evening will be conducted by Judge Phumaphi.

BOCISCOZ, a coalition of civil society groupings, was formed in 2006, in response to the need for coordinated responses to the effects of the Zimbabwe crisis. Members of BOCISCOZ are The Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), The Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), The Botswana Secondary Teachers Trade Union (BOSETU), DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana Chapter, The Concerned Africans Association (CAA), The People to People Coalition of Zimbabwe (PPCZ), Amnesty International Botswana, The International Socialists Botswana, The Disability HIV/AIDS Trust (DHAT), The Botswana Congress Party (BCP), The Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL), The Bible Society of Botswana, Kgolagano Theological College, The Lutheran Church, Tirisanyo Catholic Commission, The Dutch Reformed Church, The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana, The Kweneng Rural Development Association (KRDA), Lifeline Botswana, The Botswana Community Based Organisations Network (BOCOBONET), The Botswana Network on Ethics Law HIV and AIDS (BONELA), The Botswana Unified Local Government Service Association (BULGASA), The Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Habitat for Humanity Botswana, CORDE and The Botswana Scouts Association.

The play, the third to have been produced in collaboration with Showtime Theatre Holdings (Pty) Ltd, has already proved to be highly popular at the two open-air performances held at Nswazwi Mall and Donga Shopping Complex on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March 2010 respectively.

The play, ‘Struggle for Change’ explores the lives of Batswana and Zimbabweans as they face daily struggles in Botswana. It is the first time that BOCISCOZ has taken one of its plays to Francistown. The aim of the play is to raise awareness of the effects of the Zimbabwean socio-political and economic situation in Botswana. These have led to large numbers of migrants moving into neighbouring countries and affecting the lives of citizens in Southern Africa. The play holds up a mirror to society to show us who we are, how we live, how we relate to one another and how our relationships can be improved.

The cast comprises actors from both Zimbabwe and Botswana. The same cast produced and performed the first two plays in close collaboration with DITSHWANELO, (which is the Secretariat for BOCISCOZ) in 2007 and 2008.

The performance was made possible through the support of Church Development Services - An Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany (EED), The British High Commission, The French Embassy and supportive individuals.

22 March 2009

Gaborone

For more information, please contact DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights at Tel: 267 390 6998 Fax: 267 3907778, Website: www.ditshwanelo.info.bw, Email:admin.ditshwanelo@info.bw/ditshwanelo-myfuturetoday@info.org.bw