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Manicaland Bureau
The concerns raised by Allied Timbers workers at Erin Estate in Nyanga over the delays in the implementation of projects, which they say are impacting negatively on their lives, are valid and will be taken to the relevant authorities to ensure that they are addressed timeously, Nyanga South Member of Parliament Supa Mandiwanzira said yesterday.
He said he had noted all the complaints raised by the employees at a rally for the Ward 26 council by-election set for next month.
The workers had raised various issues including their working conditions, which they said were not conducive, the delays in rehabilitation of clinics, grinding mills and supermarkets due to red tape by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ).
“Our role as MPs is to listen to people’s concerns and we take them up with the relevant authorities who then take care of them. We heard their concerns on Monday when we were there and we are passing them on to the proper authorities to address them.
“The issues are valid. There are issues to do with the clinic, which the Ministry of Health and Child Care will have obviously take care of. There are also issues to do with their salaries which their employer, Allied Timbers, will also have to look into in liaison with the Minister of Tourism,” he said.
He said the people who were running the shop and the grinding mill had been evicted and the process of selecting new tenants needed to go to tender through PRAZ.
The employees had complained that they travel long distances of up to 20km to Juliasdale to access a grinding mill.
“The grinding mill and the shop are not operational because those who were running them were evicted and they needed to go through a tender process which is regulated by PRAZ. My role is to convey their concerns to the relevant authorities, so I will take up the issue with PRAZ,” said Mr Mandiwanzira.
He said there was need to speedily address the workers’ concerns to ensure that their welfare is taken care of.
Online Reporter