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| author/source:Standard (Zimb) |
| published:Sun 7-Mar-2010 |
| posted on this site:Mon 8-Mar-2010 |
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| Article Type : News |
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| For over a year now employees have not received salaries |
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By Vusumuzi Sifile
The faces of three old women sitting hopelessly around a small fire say it all. Life in the once bustling asbestos mining town of Zvishavane has changed - for the worst after government grabbed Shabanie Mine from its previous owners, SMM Holdings owned by exiled businessman Mutumwa Mawere. Arafas Gwaradzimba of AMG Global was appointed administrator to reconstruct the mine, but workers feel he has only succeeded in destroying it beyond redemption. For over a year now, employees at Shabanie Mine have not received salaries. Management at the mine has reneged on a number of promises and withdrawn crucial benefits for the workers. The hospital is usually without any medicines. Many secondary school children have dropped out of school. In most parts of the town, water is now available for only three hours daily, from 4am to 7am. It is most difficult for people like Mbuya Laina Mhlanga, Eddie Moyo and Mbuya Madeshi, who now live at a welfare centre in the local township, Maglas. In the past, a lot of noise could be heard emanating from the neighbouring Nyaradzai Beerhall in Maglas. Although the noise was at times irritating, its absence is evidence enough of the collapse of social services in Zvishavane. "We are now surviving by the grace of God, everyday now takes care of itself," says Mbuya Mhlanga.
Although she says she has no clue about her age, Mhlanga remembers well how she used to be the envy of her neighbours when her late husband was an employee at the asbestos mine. "For many years, from the time our husbands were still alive and even after they had passed away, we stayed at the mine’s houses for free," said Mhlanga. Together with her colleagues, Mhlanga believes that life as a widow was always going to be difficult, but not to the extent of their present predicament. "When the new management came, we were moved here, and stayed for free. This was however for a few months. They then told us that we were supposed to pay $5 rent every month. Where do they expect us to get that kind of money? Whenever we get a chance, we do piece jobs in the townships, and this is how we have been surviving." The three old women once attempted to set up a small vegetable garden, but the project flopped because of water shortages. "We now survive on handouts from well-wishers," said Moyo. "Life is now very difficult; it’s very hard for one to get even the smallest amount of money. We used to rely on our friends who still work at the mine, but things are even worse for them. They just work and never get paid."
Gold panners like Nhamo Dube, Dickson Msipha and Clever Hove used to be hated by all and sundry in and around the town, but they are now everyone’s darlings. "Wherever we go, people who used to look down upon us beg us for money," says Dube. "Things are tough my man. Vanhu varohwa nezhambi". (Zhambi is street lingo for hunger) While everyone else is complaining that they have no money, the trio is so disappointed that their favourite hang-out, Nyaradzai Beerhall, now closes very early as there would be no electricity. Zesa on Tuesday also disconnected electricity to Shabanie Mine premises - which include the mining plant, offices and residential areas like Maglas - over unsettled bills. "We have money but we cannot spend it the way we would love to. We are now forced to go home very early. This place is just too quiet. It’s no longer the Maglas we used know," said Msipha.
The effects on business are so glaring. People no longer buy groceries and other household requirements as they used to. The very frequent power cuts have also become a major setback for business. The Standard witnessed one tuckshop owner inviting people to come and get meat on credit before it rotted. Even the world’s oldest profession has not been spared. During the day, most commercial sex workers try their hand at vending to supplement their meagre earnings. "Since the mine stopped normal operations, things have not been good for us," said Merilyn Moyo, a prostitute. "At times I go for more than one week without getting customers. It is now difficult to come up with a fixed price; you are forced to accept whatever the client would be offering, because if you let them go, it may be very difficult getting another."
Although they have not received salaries for a while, Shabanie Mine workers still report for duty. "If we don’t go to work, we will be kicked out of the mine houses," said Givemore Mahleka. "The mining plant is as good as dead. The machinery there is now obsolete, and often breaks down. We now rely on doing piece jobs for our counterparts employed by nearby Mimosa Mining Company." Every month, Mahleka now travels to his village in Mberengwa to find some food. He has sold four of his beasts, and with the way things are going, his 11 head of cattle could soon be wiped out. A number of his colleagues who stopped reporting for duty last year when the company stopped paying them have since been served with eviction notices. Lawyer Tichaona Chivasa says workers have run out of patience, but cannot do much to help their situation. "Management is heartless. This employer is just immoral. It’s all a circus" said Chivasa. Officials at the mine refused to comment, referring all enquiries to Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who was said to be out of the country.
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