KWEKWE — FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe’s son Russell Goreraza has been dragged to the Labour Court by his mine workers over non-payment of wages three months after he took over the gold-rich Tolrose Mine from Jameson Rushwaya.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA Staff Reporter
The mine workers downed tools last Friday accusing Goreraza of vicitimising trade union leaders while he failed to pay them their wages and salaries.
National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) president Tinashe Mugwira accused the new mine owners of illegally dismissing workers because of their involvement in trade unionism.
“Workers’ committee leaders have been targeted by both the management and hired hooligans who are from Zanu PF structures. These people at times harass workers and accuse them of being MDC-T supporters,” Mugwira said.
Following a complaint by NMWUZ, the Kadoma labour office last month appointed a Ms Musunhe of Karoi to deal with the salary dispute and other unfair labour practices levelled against Goreraza.
Part of the appointment letter dated December 20, 2013, reads: “You are hereby appointed in terms of section 98 (5) as an arbitrator in the matter of Tolrose Employees and Russell Goreraza and the following will be your terms of reference.
“To determine whether or not the employer is threatening the existence of trade union and whether the directors are victimising the current and former workers committee members or not, whether or not employer should pay employers their wages for the period of October 2013 to date.”
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Mugwira claimed he was at one time physically assaulted by the First Lady’s relative Sam Marufu after he was found addressing the mine workers.
“The mine has been turned into a mafia zone and employees are being threatened by hired hooligans who are always at the mine,” said Mugwira.
But the mine’s human resources manager Nyasha Munangwa denied the allegations levelled against the mine’s new management.
“The allegations that we are not paying workers are false and are being pushed by people with an agenda,” Munangwa said.
“When we inherited the mine, it had its own financial problems and to expect those to end in a few months will be unfair. But for the past two months, we have paid workers without fail.
“Marufu is a very professional man and would not go around assaulting legitimate labour union members going about their business.”
