Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Commercial Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (CWUZ) has assured workers whose workplaces were affected by the recent lootings and destruction that their jobs are secure despite having closed shop awaiting renovations and restocking amid revelations that the Government is going to advance a rescue package to the affected businesses.
In an interview with the Sunday News, the union’s senior organising secretary for Matabeleland Region Mr Patrick Ndlovu said they have put in place measures to ensure that no worker was going to be sent home.
“I have it on good authority that workers at Choppies Enterprises and TM Supermarkets which were affected were moved to various other branches and they are working from there at the moment as their respective branches have not been opened yet. None of our members has been sent home after the disturbances happened,” he said.
He said there had been no complaints from workers as they have maintained their jobs while work was being done at their previous work stations. He, however, noted that at one outlet workers have been told to fill in leave days for the period they have been away.
“The only challenge that we have recorded is that of Choppies Enterprises which has requested that workers fill in leave days for the days they did not work following the skirmishes. But we are saying the employee reported for work and had to leave because of the looting that had taken place. So it will not be fair for one to demand that workers sign leave forms for that moment when there was chaos. The worker was available to work but conditions did not allow,” he added.
Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said during the week that Government was going to assist the affected businesses.
“As Government we are now trying to come up with ways of assisting businesses to restock and we also want to ensure our people that supplies will begin to normalise,” he said.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president Mr Denford Mutashu told the Sunday News that the workers must not fear being sacked as their issues were being taken care of.
“Generally when you have a contract with the employee you are paid according to the law but now the retailer has been brought back to the ground it is a case of the retailer and employee having to agree on a way forward but the jobs must be safe,” he said.
Asked on how many workers were affected during the looting, he said it was work in progress.
“We do not have statistics as yet, they are still being compiled but we are trying to ensure that we record everything. We did have a meeting of retailers and wholesalers who were affected in Bulawayo.
“It was a meeting to quantify the damage and a lot of people have been advised to report to the police and information has stated coming through,” said Mr Mutashu.
However, the Government says there would be a rescue package for affected businesses which will be availed.
“The Government has indicated that such a package will come through and the focus will be on registered formal businesses but of course our appeal as business is that both formal and informal players benefit because they have also invested to build their businesses.
“They must equally get an opportunity to be considered for such a relief so it is our humble appeal and we hope the Government will take it up given the fact that the informal sector has been growing well in Zimbabwe. Actually 50 percent of retailers are in the informal sector so if we leave them out then it means that we will not have addressed the issue holistically,” he lamented.
Mr Mutashu said it was now necessary to take advantage to ensure that those that were in the informal sector were formalised. He further said some other critical points to note are that retailers said VAT payments were due to Zimra but these businesses had been ravaged to the ground so if there could be cash relief or be given more time to pay over a period of three to six months it would be better so that they get back on their feet.
Another issue that they retailers expressed concern over was that of security.
“They (insurers) must make it simpler now because sometimes the language that they use is too technical and people want it broken down.
Another challenge is that there has been a re-evaluation of the contributions that one will have made following the de facto redollarisation and revaluation of contributions that one will have made, so this area needs further attention so that when people contribute they are guaranteed and are secure and they will be covered if things like this happen,” he said.
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