Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has ordered Mines minister Winston Chitando to intervene and resolve the issue of evicted Shabanie Mine ex-workers to allow for the smooth opening of the defunct asbestos mine.
BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
Early this year, the mine management ordered the eviction of thousands of its former employees from company houses with the majority of them thrown onto the streets. The ex-workers, through the National Mine Workers’ Union, have been fighting the evictions in the courts, arguing they would only move out after the company had paid their outstanding salaries and terminal benefits.
“We have the issue of eviction of people from Shabanie Mine houses and we expect [Mines] minister [Winston] Chitando to talk to these people and resolve the issue amicably,” Chiwenga said at the handover of Mandava Stadium to Zvishavane town last week.
“We want to open Zvishavane Mine very soon.”
According to reports, the workers were evicted to pave way for the Midlands State University Zvishavane campus staff.
In 2015 the High Court gave the mine the greenlight to evict the former employees although the workers successfully applied for an interdict against eviction.
Management later successfully challenged the interdict order.
