Illegal strike at mine turns into looting, burning orgy A police detail addresses some of the demonstrators at the mine complex

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief 

AN illegal industrial strike at Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda turned violent after a group of disgruntled workers, who teamed up with illegal gold panners, went on a rampage and looted shops before they torched company vehicles, infrastructure and other mining equipment. 

The incident happened on Tuesday and destroyed vehicles and buildings include a school bus, the mine ambulance and a newly refurbished clinic. The company has reportedly failed to pay workers their October salaries including arrears from previous months. 

Wives of some of the mine workers picketed the mine premises as early as 3am on Tuesday as they demanded that management addresses their husbands’ grievance. 

The women blocked workers from accessing the mine and police were called to the scene at around 4pm. The cops dispersed the crowd by firing tear gas. The angry mine workers later regrouped at night and went back to the mine where they started burning and damaging property and looting shops.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident, saying they arrested over 100 people for public violence.

“I can confirm that we are handling a case of violence which occurred at Vubachikwe Mine where a group of people moved around         damaging property and looting shops. The group comprises mine workers and illegal gold panners,” he said.

“So far, we have arrested over 100 people and they are assisting us with investigations. The gang leaders are part of those arrested and through our investigations we managed to recover some of the looted property and the value of damaged property, which include vehicles, mine equipment and infrastructure is yet to be ascertained.”

Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi

Asst Comm Nyathi urged members of the public to desist from violence and find amicable ways of resolving their grievances.

“As police we don’t condone violence and we implore citizens not to resort to destroying property even if they would have been wronged or inconvenienced as it is a punishable offence,” he said. 

Vubachikwe Mine spokesperson Mr Robert Mukondiwa said a group of women barricaded the entrance to the mine obstructing willing workers reporting for the morning shift from entering the mine premises.

“The protesters, mostly women and girls, barricaded the mine at around 3.30am on the morning of Tuesday 8 November. They violently barricaded the entrance to the mine obstructing willing workers reporting for the morning shift from entering the mine premises. They went on to stage an illegal protest which crippled mine business and further obstructed mine officials from switching on the generators when loss of power was experienced. This resulted in flooding of the underground mine shafts as well as a number of other impediments to smooth operation of the mine,” he said.

Mr Mukondiwa said the protesters destroyed the gates and scaled the perimeter fence to enter the mine premises before they burnt a school bus, trucks and destroyed the mine ambulance which also serves the local community.

He said they also vandalised mine shafts and damaged the window panes of a newly refurbished mine clinic.

“Furthermore, families of targeted mine officials were harassed, their homes destroyed while the occupants, mostly women and children had to hide under their beds in cupboards and wardrobes and pantries. While we value the right to protest by our mine workers, we unequivocally deplore the use of violence to express discontent, especially if it results in the wanton destruction of infrastructure and amenities,” he said.

“Ironically the damaged amenities were put in place in the interest of serving the very community that destroyed them.”

Mr Mukondiwa said the destruction has disrupted production and operations at the mine have been suspended pending the replacement of the damaged infrastructure.

Some of the demonstrating women told Chronicle that after months of patience and industrial action by their husbands, they had decided to demonstrate in the hope of getting sympathy from the management.

A woman, who declined to be named, said they were forced to resort to take a bold step of confronting management over salary arrears of their husbands as it affected their social lives.

“We have been waiting for several months for this problem to be resolved, but nothing is being done. We knew that if our husbands who work at the mine stage a demonstration they might be fired, hence we decided to take matters into our own hands,” she said.

“Unfortunately, things turned out violent, but had the management engaged us all of this commotion wouldn’t have happened. We were at the mine entrance from 3AM, but management refused to address us and instead opted to call the police who came and dispersed us.” 

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