adminWhinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
ABOUT 60 workers have been fired from a mine in Bubi District, causing an uproar in surrounding communities as the axed employees are locals.
A source said since Monday, Isabella-Bilboes gold mine has been dismissing employees and locals were threatening to disrupt mining operations there.
Isabella Mine manager Mr Shingirayi Chimhanda confirmed that some workers have been sent home, but denied allegations that they were targeting locals only.
“Yes we are dismissing workers but not on tribal grounds and not only those from the local community. Even those in higher posts from as far as Harare and other parts of Mashonaland are being sent home.
“The mine is not doing well currently. Mining is seasonal and this procedure is not the first ever, it is done yearly. Workers should not sound shocked as we hire seasonally,” he said.
Of the dismissed workers, said Mr Chimhanda, only about 25 percent were from surrounding communities.
“There are some sectors that are not busy at the moment forcing us to shut them down, hence we’re sending people home. We are also cutting down numbers in some sectors.
“We take in more workers when more manpower is needed and once the project is complete, we put them on hold. Usually when we need more manpower, we consider those former, experienced staff rather than taking in new people because training new staff is expensive,” he said.
Bubi Ward 8 councillor Herbert Ngwendu said they were worried about the retrenchments.
“Most of the people from my community are illiterate and mines are their only source of income. The majority of Bubi villagers depend on the mine. If about 30 men are dismissed from work all at once, imagine what will become of them? I see poverty and more crime in the community.
“Management may deny having dismissed mostly locals, but that’s the truth and that has been the trend always and we are saying it is being done on tribal grounds. In most departments, some people have been redeployed,” he said.
Workers who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had been left stranded as they were breadwinners.
“We are saddened by the fact that people from faraway places are replacing us.
“In December, about 25 locals were dismissed from work and this is unfair. The mine is in our community and we expect to benefit from our natural resources too,” a worker said.
— @winnie_masara
Online Reporter