adminThey have become apprehensive largely because they have gone for five months without receiving salaries yet management has remained silent. Workers interviewed said they have not been receiving salaries since January this year, although most of them have been reporting for work.
They have also alleged that the management had been getting salaries at the expense of low-level workers.
“Management is silent on the whole saga (disposal of Caps and unpaid salaries) pretending that the situation is normal. Employees backpays (salaries and wages) have not been paid for months while medical aid contributions were being deducted, but the money was not being remitted to the societies.
“The new collective bargaining agreement for 2013 has also not been implemented,” said one worker.
Businessman Mr Fred Mtandah is the controlling shareholder of the company which is involved in the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceuticals. It also runs St Anne’s Hospital in Harare. The amount owed to CBZ Bank could not be ascertained by the time of going to print. But the assets to go under the hammer on Friday include its giant factory in Harare’s Southerton industrial area.
The property is comprised of a drug manufacturing plant, a three-storey administration block with 47 offices, kitchen, bar with dispensary sections, packaging section, coldrooms, receiving bays and a clinic.
Yesterday, some prospective buyers were viewing the Caps building in Manchester Road ahead of the scheduled auction on Friday. Workers are fearing that whoever buys the property might not be interested in continuing with the pharmaceutical business, and could result in them losing their jobs.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Mtandah said the planned sale of Caps properties was in violation of a Cabinet decision ordering the revival of the company through the Industrial Development Corporation.
Online Reporter