MASVINGO West MP Tachiona Mharadza (MDC-T) yesterday pleaded for President Robert Mugabe to spare a few hours when he visits Masvingo today and tour Shabanie Mashaba Mines (SMM).
Report by Veneranda Langa
The MP said it was important for the Zanu PF leader to get first hand information on the plight of the mine’s former workers.
Mugabe is scheduled to open the Chiefs’ Council conference and later officiate at the opening of seven Community Share Ownership Trusts (CSOTs) in Masvingo.
Mharadza asked Indigenisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere during a Parliamentary portfolio committee hearing to plead with Mugabe to visit the now-defunct asbestos mines.
He said this would give him a chance to meet hundreds of the former workers who were plunged into abject poverty following the closure of the mine.
“Minister, can you please plead with the President to also visit SMM because it was owned by an indigenous Zimbabwean and President Mugabe is also a black person, yet there is no CSOT that was established there for people to benefit,” Mharadza said.
“Former owner Mutumwa Mawere affords three meals, but people from SMM cannot afford even one meal. “I therefore plead with you to go and launch a CSOT there as it would not make sense for you to visit other mines to launch CSOTs and leave out SMM,” he said. But Kasukuwere did not commit himself to taking the message to Mugabe. “I do sympathise with the indigenous operator you are talking about and the SMM workers, but you are directing your question to the wrong ministry,” he said.
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Kasukuwere had appeared before the Gender and Women Affairs Portfolio Committee chaired by Sunningdale MP Margaret Matienga to speak on indigenisation and CSOT programmes.
