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Victoria Falls Reporter
WIVES of workers of Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed coal producer Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) yesterday tried to stage a demonstration over the non-payment of their husbands’ salaries but abandoned the action when police arrived.The women claimed the police beat up some of them but the law enforcers denied the reports saying they only went to the venue of the demonstration to ensure peace and order during the protest.
The incident reportedly happened at Number Two Compound in Hwange around 7.30am. Only last week, HCCL workers reportedly downed their tools, saying they had not been paid their salaries for the last five months, but nothing materialised.
Workers said those who got paid the lowest salary at the company where each owed at least $1 800 while others in middle management were owed as much as $8 000 each.
Chronicle was inundated with phone calls from people in Hwange who were expressing their displeasure at the conduct of the police.
They said the police should be there to assist the society and not to treat harmless women intending to conduct a peaceful demonstration as criminals.
Some of the demonstrating women told Chronicle that after months of patience and industrial action by their husbands, they had decided to demonstrate in the hope of getting sympathy from the management.
In this light, the women said they gathered at Number Two Compound around 7am with the intention of holding a peaceful march towards the management offices which are housed at the general office in town.
“We gathered at Number Two Compound which is not far from the general office. However, around 7.30am, we were shocked to see police in riot gear dropping off from their vehicles and without saying anything, they started beating us. Seeing the danger, we ran away in different directions and some fell and were injured in the commotion.
“We only wanted to let management know that life is now unbearable because we are swimming in debts. Some people have sold their belongings while others have been taken to court over non-payment of debts because the company has not been paying our husbands,” said one of the demonstrating women, speaking on condition of anonymity, in fear that her husband might be victimised.
Another woman said she arrived late at the demonstration assembly point.
“I left home late because I had to do some errands but as I was about to reach the assembly point, I saw some of my friends taking to their heels with some police officers giving chase and I quickly turned back and went home.
“We just wanted to express disgruntlement at management which has been failing to pay our husbands and relatives and worse still they have failed to give us good reasons as to why they have not paid them. So we thought that the industrial action was the best course of action but the police made sure that we did not reach the general office.”
Contacted for comment, Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese refuted the claims that the police beat up the demonstrators.
She said the police only went there with the aim of helping them demonstrate in a lawful manner.
“The police arrived at Number Two area and before they could say anything, the women started running in different directions. We don’t know why they panicked or ran away. Maybe they just feared the unknown,” said Asst Insp Makonese.
She said people were allowed to demonstrate but only after notifying the police of their intentions.
“The police did not stop them from demonstrating. But for the purposes of maintaining peace and order, people should contact us first. These women should have notified us so that we could provide police officers to control traffic and provide security for them.”
Contacted for comment, HCCL corporate communications manager, Mr Burzil Dube said he was not aware of the incident, adding that there were laid down channels to be followed in case of grievances.
“We are not aware of the purported demonstration concerning salary delays. Management is always in constant communication with workers through their leadership if there are any issues concerning their welfare and the issue of salaries is not an exception,” he said in a written response to questions from Chronicle.
In April, the company allegedly suspended 525 workers following a salary dispute.
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