adminMpumelelo Nyoni Chronicle Reporter
WORKMATES of a Cernol Chemicals guard who was found naked and dead at the company’s Bulawayo branch have blamed the company’s management for his death.
Workers alleged the company’s failure to pay workers their salaries for over 15 months had caused their colleague a lot of stress.
“We work for General Belting Holdings and Cernol Chemicals is incorporated under the company, along with Piggot Maskew and General Belting,” said one employee, speaking on condition that he is not named.
“This company employs more than 150 workers and we all have not been paid. Our colleague was under a lot of stress and we believe he could have ended his life.”
Dumisani Ndlovu, 45, was found dead in a company vehicle by a colleague reporting for duty at 6.20AM on Tuesday.
He is believed to have consumed a chemical which caused his body temperature to shoot up, explaining why he removed his clothes and had a water bottle next to his body.
Ndlovu’s wife, Nobuhle Ngwenya, speaking from Mpopoma suburb where mourners were gathered, confirmed that her husband had not been paid for a long time.
She said she was angry that the company only notified her of his death more than six hours after finding his body.
“We’re at a loss for words as we don’t understand what transpired. My husband left home for work on Monday and he was in good spirits. We got worried when he had not arrived home at 9AM as he usually does,” she said.
“We were only informed of his death when company officials came with police at about mid-day.”
She said she was “not pleased with the way the company dealt with the issue”, adding: “We were not even called to the scene, after all they had not even paid him for almost a year-and-a-half. They only told us his body had been taken to UBH for postmortem. They also promised to handle funeral arrangements but I’m not even sure if that will materialise.”
Ndlovu is survived by his wife and two children, Phindile, 23, and Phumuzile, 20.
Phillip Nyakudziwanza, the general manager of Cernol Chemicals, last night insisted there was no link between Ndlovu’s death and the lack of pay.
“Like I told you before, we can’t comment on Ndlovu’s death as investigations are still underway. As far as the situation of lack of pay is concerned, there’s no link between that and Ndlovu’s death. I suggest you go back to workers who gave you that information,” he said by telephone.
“I’m the general manager of Cernol Chemicals and I have nothing to say about Piggot Maskew or General Beltings. If they are disgruntled over pay, then they should sort it out themselves.”
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube said investigations were still in progress.
Online Reporter