Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
DRAWCARD Construction, which won a tender to build the $14 million new Gweru Mall, is at loggerheads with its workers who accuse it of failure to pay salaries since February this year.
The Zesa Electricity Pension Fund (ZEPF) owns the shopping mall project, which is located just outside Gweru CBD along Bulawayo Road near the Gweru Fire Station.
Some workers have reportedly been fired for demanding their dues. Last week a group of fired workers stormed the construction site to confront management and demand their dues.
Those who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said they were working without contracts and were last paid in February when they were given 30 percent of their salaries.
A former workers’ committee chairperson, Mr Shepherd Sungayi, accused the company of failure to remit statutory obligations such as NSSA.
“We used to work here and there are a lot of issues that we used to complain about such as the provision of protective clothing and the remission of statutory obligations such as NSSA contributions, contributions to the National Employment Council and other issues. There were a lot of things the employer was supposed to provide but was not providing,” said Mr Sungayi.
“We had those challenges and salaries were erratic as from April 2015 until we engaged the project consultant Felymas on the issue and he made promises but nothing was fulfilled. That is when he started to terminate workers’ contracts for those who were vocal in demanding their dues before hiring subcontractors,” he added.
Felymas principal consultant, Mr Oliver Jangwa, declined to comment on the issue saying their contract with ZEPF, the owners of the project, restrains them from speaking to the media on the issue regarding the construction of the mall.
Drawcard projects manager, Mr Redding Madume, referred questions to the company’s human resources manager, Ms Nancy Mutseruka, who could not be reached for comment as her phone was constantly engaged.
ZEPF administration manager, Mr Noel Jakaza, said the fund’s payments to the contractors were up to date but declined to comment further.
“I cannot comment on that issue because as far as I am concerned we are up to date with our certificates of payment to the main contractor. So those people are not dealing with us,” he said.
Early this year construction at the shopping mall was stopped for three days after NSSA closed the site owing to safety concerns including the non-availability of protective clothing to workers.
The ZEPF is being built at a cost of $14 million and will house a service station, supermarket, food court and offices among others.
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