adminMidlands Correspondent
Shabanie Mine authorities have sent letters of demand and eviction orders to the company’s former workers who are still occupying company houses. Some of the former workers have been slapped with bills of up to $15 000 for the time they have been staying in the company houses.
According to letters of demand and eviction summons served last week, the former workers are supposed to vacate or respond to the company’s demands within 10 days failure of which the company would take further legal action.
“The 1st and 2nd Plaintiff claim is as follows, (a) an order for the eviction of the defendant and all those claiming a right through him from house number . . . (b) An order for the payment of holding over damages in the sum of . . . from 1 April, 2012 to July 2013 at the rate of $352 per month,” read part of the letters of demand which were sent to affected former workers.
Mr Afaras Mtausi Gwarazimba who is the administrator of Shabanie and Mashava Mines (SMM) Holdings and the SMM Holdings are cited as the first and second Plaintiff in the eviction summons obtained from the High Court of Zimbabwe case number 11/13.
The affected former employees are supposed to respond to the summons within 10 days.
“If you wish to oppose any of the plaintiff claims, you must enter an appearance to defend by making appropriate entry in the appearance book taped in the office of the Registrar of the High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare within 10 days,” read part of the summons.
In separate interviews yesterday, the affected former workers said they would engage a lawyer to fight their case.
They said they have been occupying the company houses while waiting to receive their outstanding salaries.
“We have been staying in the houses on the understanding that the mine was yet to pay us our money. We are owed varying amounts of money and the rationale behind us occupying the houses was that the company would pay our money and then deduct whatever we owe them as rentals,” said Mr Amos Machaya.
Another former worker Mr John Banda said he and his family would be left destitute when they vacate the mine house they were occupying.
“I am of Malawian origin and when I came into the country, I have known no other house to live than this Shabanie Mine house. I stopped reporting for duty when the company started facing some operational challenges only to be shocked to receive an eviction order and a letter of demand where I am supposed to pay about $3 000 to the company in rentals,” he said.
Mr Banda said he was struggling to raise $150 which was required for a lawyer who has since been engaged by his colleagues.
“My colleagues who received eviction orders are in the process of contributing funds to engage a lawyer but I can’t raise the $150 which is required per individual,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Gwarazimba were fruitless yesterday.
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