The Sunday News
Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Correspondent
SHABANIE Mine has suspended operations, with the employees being sent on a three-month unpaid leave as the future of the country’s sole asbestos mining giant continues to look bleak.
During interviews with Sunday News in the mining town on Wednesday, employees said they were now virtually out of their jobs as the mine was still struggling to attract new investors.
They said the company gave them $20 each as part of their salary before they were made to sign three months unpaid leave forms.
“It’s now clear that our future as Shabanie workers is uncertain because this is not the first time we have been sent on forced leave. We were given a paltry $20 each before we were told that the mine was shutting down due to lack of production,” said one of the employees who declined to be identified.
Another employee added: “The mine is flooded with water and we have been coming to work to try and drain the water from the mine tunnels manually after the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority disconnected power over a debt. There has not been any production for some time now and we last got something as part of our salaries in February this year.”
The workers said they had been relying on piece jobs to make ends meet, with the once giant asbestos mining concern struggling to attract any investor.
The workers urged Government to move in and help resuscitate the mine, which they said was the backbone of the town.
“Shabanie Mine used to employ more than 3 000 workers and the town’s economy has been heavily reliant of this mine. However, the demise of this mine is very worrisome. Government should surely do something to try and resuscitate this mine,” said another employee.
A member of the senior management who spoke to Sunday News confirmed that the mine had suspended operations with the employees being sent on forced leave with no benefits. He said the employees would be required to report back to work after three months from Monday last week to find out if there was any hope of resuming operations.
“If there is nothing on site they will be required to extend the leave with a further three months because as it is, there is no hope that we could get a new investor anytime soon,” said the member of the management, who declined to be named arguing that the mine was still under an administrator, Mr Afaras Gwarazimba, who was not available for comment.
Mr Artwell Phiri, the secretary for Shabanie Mine Workers’ Committee, confirmed that the employees were sent on unpaid leave after being given $20 each as part of their outstanding salaries.
“We are in a very difficult situation as Shabanie Mine employees and we hope Government will intervene and bail us out of this difficult situation.
“We have not been getting our salaries for some months and we are now on a three months unpaid leave. Our future is looking bleak and there is really need for Government intervention,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Fred Moyo told Sunday News that the Government was still searching for an investor to resuscitate Shabanie Mine.
