Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
PLANS by government to resuscitate operations at the now defunct Kamativi Mine in Matabeleland North have triggered calls by former workers to be allowed to buy the houses from Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC).

Most of the former workers, who are now old, fear losing the houses as they cannot be employed.

Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko visited the mine last week and indicated that the government would ensure the mine resumes operation.

A former HRDC councillor, Sylvester Mudenda, who spoke on behalf of the more than 300 former workers who still live at the compound, said the former workers fought the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) as it sought to destroy the houses after the closure of the mine.

He said they should at least be allowed to buy the houses through a rent-to-buy scheme.

“The houses belong to ZMDC but were handed over to council when the mine closed so that it collects rentals from the tenants who are mostly former workers. If the mine reopens, we want the council to consider the former workers who are still at Kamativi who should be allowed to buy the houses through a rent-to-buy scheme,” said Mudenda.

He said former workers have convened and discussed the issue which has since been tabled at meetings with both council and ZMDC.

“We’ve sat down and formed Kamativi Early Settlers Association made up of those still resident here. The council at some point tried to evict people but we resisted because these houses were supposed to have been destroyed by ZMDC. The workers who stopped ZMDC from destroying the houses should be allowed to buy these houses,” said Mudenda.

The mine closed down nearly two decades ago partly because of falling tin prices, leaving more than 500 workers jobless.

Numerous attempts to reopen the mine have failed and people were now reportedly surviving on fishing from a nearby dam.

Rentals are pegged at between $5 and $17 per room depending on the size and type of the house.

“Life is difficult for former workers. Those who are better off are the ones with children who are working elsewhere. Most of us rely on the nearby dam where we fish and sell the fish.

However, we have lost several lives to crocodiles,” Mudenda said.

The councillor for the area, Joshua Tshuma, said the idea to give the houses to the occupants was once tabled at a council meeting but was shot down by some individuals who could be benefiting from collecting rentals.

“We’d actually initiated the idea of lease agreements for the houses but it was shot down by some individuals. There was even an agreement between Kamativi Mine and HRDC to address that. We will engage as a way forward,” he said.

HRDC Chief Executive Officer, Phindile Ncube, refused to shed light on the housing issue.

He said he was not used to discussing council business with reporters over the phone.

“I don’t normally talk to people over the phone. I prefer to talk face to face because I wouldn’t know if you’re the person you claim to be. Send your questions in writing,” he said.

Ncube had not responded to questions sent to him via e-mail by close of business yesterday.

 

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