By Tendai Chisiri
HARARE – The Zimbabwe Writers Association has challenged the Reprographic Rights Organisation of Zimbabwe to prove which authors it represents, as RROZ admits it hasn’t paid writers any royalties yet.
ZWA Chairperson Monica Cheru said Friday that no entity can collect on behalf of writers “without clear legitimacy, transparency and demonstrable mandate from writers themselves.”
RROZ official Anthony Rimau told News Sport Online the organisation started in 2025 and is “still building its database.” He named Masimba Madondo as chairperson and said writer Aaron Chiundura Moyo is involved.
“Our mandate is to fight piracy,” Rimau said. “If they have issues with us, they should come out and we iron it out.”
He confirmed RROZ has approached schools for licensing but “haven’t given royalties yet to writers.”
ZWA wants RROZ to publish its list of represented writers, terms of representation, and how money from embroiderers and other users is shared.
“Trust cannot be presumed without being earned,” Cheru said.
Reprographic rights cover photocopying and scanning of books in schools and copy shops. Zimbabwe’s copyright law allows collective management bodies to collect fees and pay authors.
ZWA said it supports a “credible and inclusive system” but insisted it “must be built with writers, not around them.”
RROZ did not give a timeline for completing its database or starting payments.
News Sport Online 