Ex-Old Nic Mine workers owed 15 months salaries

Nqobile Tshili, Business Correspondent
FORMER Old Nic Mine workers in Bulawayo’s Killarney suburb yesterday camped outside the company’s premises demanding their 15 months outstanding salaries.

Following a directive by Zesa to reduce its power consumption by 25 percent, the mine shut down last November leaving over 200 people jobless.

The workers whose grievances range from non-payment of outstanding salaries to poor hygienic environment at the mine’s compound said they would not go anywhere unless they are paid their dues first.

They accused the company’s management of calling police on them instead of paying them their outstanding salaries.

The workers told Business Chronicle that they were seeking an audience with the management not to be intimidated.

“There’s no point in calling police on us. We’re not violent but we want to talk to them (management) regarding our salaries,” shouted one of the employees.

The ex-employees said the company has remained mum about their outstanding salaries.

“We’re demanding our salaries that the company hasn’t paid since shutting down. The company was deducting 25 percent of our salaries before shutting claiming that it was part of the measures to ensure that the company stays afloat. But they closed the company so, we want our outstanding salaries together with the 25 percent that they were deducting,” said one of the former workers, Mr Admire Siatamuka.

The ex-workers who are still staying at the mine’s compound said they were fed up by the mine’s management for failing to address their concerns.

Another employee said schools were now sending debt collectors to them as they have failed to pay fees for their children.

“We don’t even know what to do. Schools will end up not accepting our kids due to non-payment of fees. We’re starving.

“We don’t have running water and electricity. It won’t be shocking to see us dying of cholera. This place is very unhygienic but where will we go?” said another employee.

A comment could not be obtained from Old Nic Mine management who ordered one of the security guards to bar a Business Chronicle crew from entering the company’s premises.

@nqotshili