6. Second Session of the Commission 57. The Second Session of the Commission took place from 9 to 28 August and 5 to 6 October 2009. The first part of the session involved a mission to the region to meet with various government officials, representatives of the social partners and other stakeholders, and individuals proposed by the social partners in Zimbabwe. The second part of the session involved meetings in Geneva with representatives of the complainants and the Government. I. The Commission’s visit to the region 58. The Commission carried out its mission to the region from 9 to 28 August 2009. During its time in Pretoria, the Commission met representatives of the SADC workers’ and employers’ groups. A planned meeting with the Minister of Labour of South Africa, the then chairperson of the SADC, could not take place due to the absence of the Minister. 59. From 12 to 26 August, the Commission visited Zimbabwe. The Commission had meetings in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru and Mutare. Through the cooperative attitude of the Government of Zimbabwe, the Commission was able to meet almost all officials with whom it had requested meetings. The exceptions were the President of Zimbabwe, the Minister of State for National Security, the Director of the CIO, and the Commissioner of Police. The Commission met the trade union and employers’ organization officials and members listed by the complainants in their communications dated 28 July and 7 August 2009. The Commission also had meetings with a number of other stakeholders in Zimbabwe and resident members of the international community. At the end of its visit to Zimbabwe, the ILO hosted a cocktail party in Harare, which was widely attended by government officials, representatives of trade unions, employers’ organizations and other civil society organizations, and members of the international donor community. 60. The Commission met representatives of the following workers’ and employers’ organizations on behalf of the complainants: the ZCTU and the two factions of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), and a number of primary-level organizations affiliated to those unions; the Apex Council, the body composed of associations of employees from the public service, in the absence of legally recognized public service trade unions under Zimbabwean law; and EMCOZ and its members, including the Chamber of Mines, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. 61. In total, the Commission met over 100 individuals proposed by the social partners in meetings held in Bulawayo, Gweru, Harare and Mutare. These individuals were officials, members and former members of Zimbabwean workers’ and employers’ organizations, who relayed their personal experiences to the Commission of Inquiry after having taken an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 62. The Commission met the following government officials during its visit: the Prime Minister; the Minister and Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Services; the Minister and Deputy Minister of Public Service; the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Minister of Home Affairs; the Ministers on the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration; the Minister of Education; the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs; the Attorney-General and Deputy Attorney-General; the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs; the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement; the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity; the Chairperson and Members of the Public Service Commission; the Acting Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Prisons; the Executive Chairperson and Director of the Health Service Board; and the Ombudsperson. 26 Meetings-2009-Zimbabwe C of I-2009-12-0035-3-En.doc/v3