A SEVEN-MEMBER probe team comprising representatives of the National Engineering Workers’ Union (Newu) and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions was last Thursday blocked from investigating alleged sexual abuse of female workers at Kango Products factory in Bulawayo.
Staff Reporter
ZCTU national women advisory council secretary Barbra Tanyanyiwa confirmed the development yesterday and accused the company’s general manager Ignatious Mavhunga of denying them entry into the company premises to investigate the allegations.
“We had gone there to probe this matter and we will report to head office (ZCTU) in Harare that we were denied access to meet the affected,” Tanyanyiwa said.
NewsDay was also denied access to Mavhunga with his secretary saying he was under instruction not to talk to the Press. “No one talks to the Press here. I am sorry I cannot transfer you to anyone,” she said.
However, the company’s group managing director Peter John Buckle (senior) said he was unaware of the issue and referred NewsDay back to Mavhunga while insisting that the union leaders should have made an appointment with management.
“I don’t know about that, you must speak to Mavhunga. They (union leaders) should have made an appointment with Mavhunga or written a letter before going there,” he said.
Other members of the probe team included ZCTU western region officer Percy Mcijo and Newu representative Pirat Ncube.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The investigation follows complaints that female workers at the company were being sexually abused by some male line managers. “Women employees are complaining over abuse by some managers and we are looking into the matter,” Ncube said.
A worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Elderly women who worked here for more than 20 years are given hard labour to frustrate and force them into the voluntary retirement scheme launched by the company in December last year. Young women are engaged on contract bases here, but when the contracts expire, the line managers ask for sexual favours in return for the renewal of their contracts.”
