adminCharity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
THE High Court has granted Footwear and Rubber Private Limited permission to resume operations under judicial management after the company closed shop in 2010.Michael Mpofu has been appointed judicial manager of the troubled firm effective January 15.
However, controversy has marred the re-opening of the firm amid reports that a representative of the previous owner, identified as Cooper was allegedly refusing to surrender keys to the premises.
Mpofu confirmed the firm would resume operations soon.
“As the new judicial manager at the firm my main objective is to operate at full capacity. We already have big orders from customers. As soon as the Master of High Court sorts out these challenges, we’ll start producing,” he said.
Mpofu said a board of directors has been set up to discuss the plight of employees who are owed substantial amounts by the firm in unpaid salaries.
“We’ve set up a board to deliberate on how to deal with the employees owed money by previous management. No decision has been made yet but we hope to come up with one soon,” he said.
There was commotion on Friday when a group of workers joined by the Affirmative Action Group (AAG), hired a locksmith to forcefully open the doors while security officers from Fawcett tried to restrain them.
AAG deputy president Sam Ncube accused the previous management of running down the company.
“Footwear and Rubber has been struggling under different leadership for the past five years. We decided to open the doors and Fawcett Security tried to throw us out. However, the police told them the judicial manager had the right to open the premises,” he said.
“As an empowerment body we saw it fit to assist Mpofu by opening the doors after Cooper refused to hand over keys claiming Mpofu has no right to use the premises.
“We realised that there’s no one above the law. The courts approved Mpofu as the judicial leader. We hired a locksmith to open the doors in order to resume operations.”
The company specialises in production of leather footwear. Plans to produce handbags and belts are underway.
Online Reporter