Vusumuzi Dube
VUBACHIKWE Gold Mine in Gwanda has been operating on an essential services basis, with select staff following a scaling down forced on their hand by marauding thugs who conducted an illegal strike late last year destroying property.
Grounded from core business since then, a team of essential staff has been diligently hard at work, ensuring the pulse of the mine continues to be felt as management plan a roadmap to return to full operation.
With the burden of school fees in the impending school term that commences tomorrow, and cognisant of the new norms where children are not admitted into schools without proof of having settled fees, the mine has taken it upon itself to ensure that they pay the third term fees for all workers whose children attend the local schools.
“School fees is a headache for all families not least when there is the burden of operating on a care and maintenance basis. To that end we have resolved to approach Sabiwa Primary and Secondary Schools to negotiate with the schools who shall admit all children belonging to essential service staff with a view to having the mine settle the fees for the respective children,” said mine manager Mr None Kananji.
“We are in a time of having turned the corner on a crisis and many families no doubt have financial trauma. It is the case across many sectors and our essential service staff have not been spared. Cognisant of this we felt this would go a long way in removing one worry and burden from the essential services staff,” added Mr Kananji.
Mr Kananji took the opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women that have kept the mine in top shape in what has been a trying year for the mine and its staff.
“The men and women I am leading have shown great resilience and exhibited tenets of hard work, energy and tireless dedication to the task at hand, ensuring the mine is as good as ready to roll as soon as our workout plan which will see the phased reopening of full operations kicking into place,” said Mr Kananji.
Weathering a myriad of challenges in the difficult times, warding off illegal mining, potential flooding of the mine, maintaining social cohesion and harmony have been challenges that have faced the man in charged, but under his leadership, the centre has held.
“While we certainly know there are a lot that needs to be fixed as we rise back to normalcy, it is our express hope that this school fees intervention at Sabiwa Primary and Secondary Schools will be appreciated by our staff,” added Mr Kananji.
Online Reporter