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On Wednesday the workers spent the night outside the premises, saying they would not disperse until they were paid their outstanding salaries.

However, judicial manager Mr Phillip Ndlovu said the company had not closed, but there was no material for them to continue working.

Chronicle visited the company along Khami Road yesterday morning where more than 100 workers were milling outside the premises.

The workers said they were shocked to find a notice at the gate stating that they should stop coming to work.

“We were shocked in the morning when we found the gate locked,” said a worker.

The notice was displayed at the gate and read in part: “As you are aware the company is under judicial management and it is a requirement that all workers sign new employment contract forms. This must be done immediately through the human resources. Until bush operations are fully operational, there will be insufficient timber to the main factory operations. Accordingly, all workers should discontinue coming to work until further advice.”

The timber processing company is owned by Water Resources Development and Management Minister Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo.

It was placed under judicial management last year.

The workers are demanding that the company’s branch in Tsholotsho, which does timber-logging, be closed as only the directors were benefiting from it.

“We are not sure which of the shareholders would pay us our dues. We still want President Mugabe to intervene because we are now stranded. They were supposed to lock the gates when the company was put under judicial management,” said another worker.

The workers said they would neither sign new contracts nor allow management to trim staff before they are paid their dues.

They are supposed to sign new contracts with the judicial management.

Mr Neil Rix, a shareholder, was said to be out of office yesterday and he was not answering his phone which continuously rang.

Some of the workers said they had worked for the company for about 40 years and would not leave without packages because they were no longer employable elsewhere.

The workers said they would remain at the premises until they were given their money.

“We will spend the night here until they open the gates and give us our money. We cannot go back to our rented houses because we have not paid our rent. It is not fair for them to say we are not working because the timber that is coming from Tsholotsho plant is sent elsewhere,” another worker said.

“I am taking medication and my tablets are inside the company premises, but the security guards would not allow me to go in.”

Female workers said they could no longer afford to buy pads.

Mr Reason Ncube who is a member of the workers’ committee said yesterday they met the judicial manager but the meeting yielded nothing.

“We spent the night at the premises and today we will sleep there again. We went to meet the judicial manager as a committee about the claim forms which we are supposed to complete and he told us that he would only start paying once there is production,” said Mr Ncube.

The judicial manager, Mr Ndlovu, told Chronicle that the workers should lodge their claims with the High Court.

“The company is not closed but there is no material. The company is being managed through the courts and any comment should not jeopardise proceedings. It should not appear as if there is only one set of creditors.

“The fact that the company owes creditors money including workers is the reason why it is under judicial management. A judicial process is painful because it has casualties,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu could not be drawn into commenting about the timber logging going on in Tsholotsho but confirmed the company would trim staff.

Last week the workers appealed to President Mugabe to intervene to force the employer to pay them their salaries.