adminConrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
Ferro-chrome producer, Afrochine Smelting (Pvt) Ltd, has ramped up its operations by opening two more furnaces at their plant in Chegutu, a development that has seen the company nearly doubling its workforce.
Afrochine’s expansion comes at a time its sister company, Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) was working to open its Manhize Steel Plant near Mvuma.
Both DISCO and Afrochine are subsidiaries of steel producer, Tshingshan Holdings Group.
Construction works at Manhize Steel Plant by DISCO are progressing well and it is set to be Africa’s biggest iron and steel producing plant.
The two additional furnaces and a pelletiser machine at Afrochine have seen the company double its workforce to 1 000 from 550 mostly drawn from the Chegutu district while 750 tonnes of ferrochrome is now being produced daily.
This, has also seen the country’s power producing company, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) benefit more.
Zimbabwe is also expected to benefit immensely from the operations of Afrochine and Manhize as they will help rake in more foreign currency from exportation of chrome and steel.
Afrochine’s public relations officer, Mr Pardon Kufakunesu said the smelting plant was striving to meet the workers’ expectations and respect their rights.
“We have expanded our initial operations by setting up two more furnaces to five, and we now have a staff complement of 950 workers.
“The company will continue to satisfy the expectations of its workers so that we meet our production targets. Even though remuneration is topical between workers and the company, the issue remains nothing as compared to what is being said by international organisations.
“They claim to be picking gross human rights violations that have not been picked by the local government institutions that are fully legislated by the Government to carry out the mandates,” he said.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA), National Social Security Authority (NSSA), Department of Labour conduct periodic checks at the plant.
The company which has been awarded various awards locally, he said, continues to provide its workers with protective equipment twice a year while remuneration is paid partly in US dollars.
“Our workers receive 60 percent of their salaries in United States dollars while the remainder is paid in local currency. To improve productivity, we ensure that enough meals are provided while a two-hour lunch break is entitled to everyone worker,” he said.
Administration manager, Mr Brighton Mashingaidzwa said the coming in of DISCO was going to help add value to their product which in turn will improve workers remuneration.
Online Reporter