The Sunday News
Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Correspondent
MIDLANDS State University has allayed fears that the resuscitation of Shabanie Mashava Mines will result in more than 3 000 students using the company’s premises being evicted.
This follows reports that the Zvishavane-based mining giant started renewing contracts for its employees, amid revelations that the new Government is eager to resuscitate the once thriving mine. MSU opened its Zvishavane campus about three years ago and has been using some of SMM buildings for its operations.
MSU public relations director Mrs Mirirai Mawere said her institution will not be affected by the resuscitation of SMM, adding that they won’t be evicted from any SMM properties since they purchased most of them. “MSU will not be affected by the reopening of Shabanie Mashaba Mine. In fact, we are complementing the move, we welcome it with open arms. What happened is that we purchased most of the infrastructure we are using from Shabanie mine so there won’t be any problem,” she said.
Mrs Mawere said the reopening of SMM would be an advantage to the institution as the mining giant will provide work related learning opportunities for students. Mrs Mawere said MSU had also purchased a piece of land from Zvishavane Town Council for the construction of a campus.
“We recently acquired a piece of land from Zvishavane Town Council as we expand our operations in that town. As we speak work is under way to construct infrastructure for our Zvishavane campus,” she said.
In 2015 SMM and MSU entered into an agreement which resulted in the institution of higher learning setting base in the mining town.
