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FOLLOWING an illegal strike over a back pay of wages, which started around 3am on Tuesday,  November 8 when some mine workers alongside suspected hired thugs, staged a vile illegal protest, that left a trail of destruction at Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda, some families who were forced to flee fearing for their lives, are back but are still living in fear. 

The losses incurred have now been estimated to go well over hundreds of thousands of United States dollars as the mine seeks to restart operations. 

The thugs used women and children as human shields to mask the atrocious acts by having them at the forefront on the day.

Under the cover of darkness they stormed the mine, blocked entrances after having earlier denied willing workers access to report for work. 

They continued on a rampage destroying infrastructure causing a huge loss, including to the resources they themselves would benefit from and depend on.

Examining the damage that was caused by workers at Vubachikwe Mine

The destruction included the community clinic which was vandalised, the community school bus that ferried children to school, mine trucks, the mine ambulance, key mine infrastructure among other losses. 

They also went on to assault workers who tried to report for work and those present had to flee for their lives under attack.

The most nauseating of these criminal acts was attacking and destroying other employees’ houses and threatening to set their houses and their children on fire. The targeting of other  employees who did not want to take part in the illegal protest, laid bare the barbaric nature of the hooligans, who trampled on the sanctity of human life. 

They targeted other mine employees who refused to take part in the illegal protests including the mine manager Mr Kananji and went after them and their families. Families under attack had to seek refuge in their pantries, cupboards and under tables as glass cracked and stones flew in from all directions possible. 

The trauma sent the victims into desperation fearing for the lives of their families and property. Many injuries were sustained and the families had to be rescued by management amid attacks and taken to a safe haven away from these criminals until the situation had calmed down and their safety guaranteed.

 The families were taken to safety and offered some counselling in the form of recreational activities that really raised smiles on the terrified faces of the previous day.

Some of the damage that was caused by workers at Vubachikwe Mine

These attacks crippled mine operations and disrupted production with management being forced to regretfully confirm that there shall be consequences of potential job losses until key affected infrastructure is replaced. 

An active plan to engage the members of the workforce that are willing and able to use dialogue to resolve disputes has been initiated and carries with it the full support of the office of the Minister of State for Matabeleland South, honourable Abednico Ncube as well as other key stakeholders in the maintenance of peace including security structures in Matabeleland South.

After going on a tour with mine officials to ascertain the damage, Minister Ncube implored stakeholders to ensure peace in order to keep the mine operating and contributing to the fiscus.

However, management is on high alert as there may be efforts by some rogue members of the workers’ committee as well as other thugs to cause mayhem ahead of a planned visit in the area by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is set to commission a project at the nearby Blanket Mine as well as officiate at the Gwanda State University graduation ceremony.