SHABANIE and Mashaba Mines (SMM) workers were dealt another severe blow when the mines’ management sent all workers home for an additional three months unpaid leave.
ALLIEWAY NYONI OWN CORRESPONDENT
SMM workers were supposed to resume work yesterday after a forced six-month unpaid break, but authorities said the mine could not resume operations until further notice.
SMM Workers’ Union chairperson Simon Mutanga said they were informed by the mine management to tell workers to go back home for another three months’ unpaid leave while efforts to resuscitate the mines continued.
“The mine is still at a standstill and workers were very disappointed by the move. They were anticipating commencing their duties as was the plan when they had initially been laid off six months ago,” said Mutanga.
Before the forced leave in January, the mine had generated some revenue by selling asbestos fibre from its dump site and paid the workers a survival allowance.
However, due to other pressing financial challenges that the mine was facing, all workers were sent on unpaid leave.
A top Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) official said they were working tirelessly with the Mines ministry to reopen the asbestos mine through a Chinese consortium that would be disclosed after required procedures have been completed. He pleaded with workers to bear with them.
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“We are not just seated as people may think. SMM is one of our priorities and very soon operations will resume after a Chinese consortium completes all required procedures and an agreement is in place,” said the ZMDC official who requested anonymity.
“ZMDC is very much aware of problems the mine workers are facing since the closure of the mine and it is our sincere hope that all our plans will materialise.”
Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa recently indicated that ZMDC had received an expression of interest for SMM together with Elvington, Jena, Sabi, Kamativi and Mhangura mines.
“We are looking for partners for these mines and ZMDC has received expressions of interest,” he said.
“They (ZMDC) will soon report to the Mines ministry on what the interest looks like.”