Workers, residents team up to block shop liquidator

Fairness Moyana Hwange Correspondent
WORKERS at Hwange Spar on Tuesday teamed up with members of the community to block a liquidator who wanted to close the supermarket, arguing it was their source of livelihood. The retail shop owned by Tradetune Investments, was placed under provisional liquidation pending winding up and Mr Cecil Madondo of Tudor House Consultancy was appointed as provisional liquidator in June.
Officials from the liquidator visited the company on Tuesday and closed down the supermarket before ordering workers to immediately vacate the premises.
However, that angered the workers and some members of the local community who besieged the officials demanding that the popular shop remains open. Zanu-PF Hwange district chairperson Cde Reeds Dube had to intervene to save the officials.
However, the officials only allowed three employees to remain while ordering the rest to dismiss before reducing the prices of most of the goods in an effort to clear the stock.
The workers responded by writing to the local leadership, including Zanu-PF and traditional leaders seeking mediation over the liquidation saga and failure by the liquidator to notify them of the insolvency and terminal benefits in due course of process.
They argued that they wanted to take over and continue running the company as workers as they had faith that the supermarket could be sustained.
“We hereby write this letter to inform you about the liquidation of Hwange Spar. As Hwange Spar workers we were not notified of the liquidation and more so not advised of our terminal benefits in due course of this process. Our requests from your office are that (1) we would like to take over and continue trading as workers, (b) our main aim is to serve the community, (c) the workers have the potential to run the shop and be able to pay rentals. Our house rentals were affected by the non-payment of salaries hence we would like your office to help keep us trading by giving us the shop,” reads the letter.
The workers’ woes started 15 months ago when the company stopped meeting salaries payment obligation prompting the workers to approach the court for a settlement where management resolved to a settlement plan that included giving them $70 cash and another $70 in the form of groceries up to August 2016.
The 27 workers who are owed over $80 000 in salaries arrears argued that their employer did not consult them on the prospect of placing the company under liquidation but had been misleading them into thinking all was well.
“We were surprised on Monday to learn from two men who said they had been sent to close the supermarket since it was placed under liquidation. Just last week we were advised by management that everything was returning to normal as by August we would be receiving our salaries on time. We feel that the way we were treated as workers was unfair as we were thrown out of the premises and no explanation was given as regards to our salaries or terminal benefits. Furthermore we expected our employer to be here and explain to us what was happening since we were never consulted on the issue,” said workers committee chairman, Mr Albert Nyathi.
According documents seen by Sunday News, Tradetune Investment which was trading under the franchise Spar supermarkets filed for liquidation of its supermarket in Hwange citing cash flow challenges and inability to service debts and was provisionally granted. The court appointed Mr Cecil Madondo to oversee the liquidation of Spar Hwange.
Tradetune Investment managing director, Mr Tichaona Chingumadze referred comments to the company’s lawyers arguing that he was not aware of the standoff.
“Our lawyers can comment better on that issue (liquidation). I’m not aware of the full details since I have been out of the country and am now in Harare,” he said.
The company reportedly owes over 15 creditors among the owner of the building, Hwange Colliery Company, Dairibord and Delta $300 000. Last month property that included fridges and butchery equipment were attached by the Messenger of court after GMB dragged the company to court over a debt.