THE Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) has given Nigerians operating business in Bulawayo a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the city alleging that the foreigners were not paying wages and not remitting taxes to the government.
GAMMA MUDARIKIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
In a letter addressed to the Bulawayo State and Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo, and copied to the Labour ministry, police and the Nigerian committee, among other stakeholders, ZFTU said Nigerians were abusing local people they have employed and such should be forced out of the city.
According to the letter, the Nigerians are not paying wages, while some workers are not registered with National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and their respective National Employment Councils which ZFTU said was in violation of employee rights.
“We request your office to urgently look into the matter as we are pressing for the Nigerians to be picked (sic) out of Bulawayo and their licences be withdrawn until they address the above issue,” part of the letter reads.
“Most Nigerians are operating without licences.”
ZFTU said most of the Nigerians were a flight risk and on several occasions after being taken to court by workers over non–payment of salaries, had fled the country leaving employees desperate.
Nigerians and other foreigners like Chinese have dominated most of the retail sector in the country.
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The development has resulted in the influx of cheap imported foreign products which have been blamed for suffocating the local industry.
The textile industry has been the most affected after companies like Security Mills (Pvt) Ltd, Archer Clothing (Pvt) Ltd, among others are in the doldrums partly elbowed out of the market by cheap foreign products.
The government recently announced that it would by January 1 2014 ban foreigners from operating locally received sectors of the economy in line with the indigenisation law.
Foreigners owning bakeries, barber shops, estate agencies and a host of other businesses would be banned according to the country’s indigenisation policy which, however, has been blamed for scaring away investment in the country.
Businesses to be owned by locals include bakeries, barber shops, beauty salons, estate agencies, grain mills, milk processing plants, retail outlets, tobacco processing, transport and valet services.
The January deadline is set to affect nationals from China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan, among others. Twitter feedback @mudarikirig
