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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
GWANDA-BASED Vubachikwe Mine operations will remain suspended while activities are underway to repair damages incurred after workers damaged property during an illegal strike, mine management has said.

An illegal industrial demonstration turned violent after workers burnt down company infrastructure and equipment while some looted shops.

The wives of the mine workers picketed at the entrance of the mine as early as 3AM on November 8 demanding to see management. They reportedly blocked workers from entering the mine.

Police were called in and addressed the crowd at around 4PM, urging them to disperse as their demonstration was illegal but they did not yield.

Police resorted to firing tear gas forcing the crowd to disperse. At night the disgruntled mine workers then moved around burning and damaging property at the mine and also looting shops.

In a statement Vubachikwe Mine manager, Mr Nan Kananji, said essential service providers are working tirelessly to clear and repair the damage inflicted on the mine.

“Mining operations have been temporarily suspended due to an illegal strike and riot that occurred on the 8th of November 2022, which caused substantial damage to the mine and physical injury to certain employees,” he said.

“This illegal strike had been preceded by two other illegal strikes that took place on 17 October and 1 November, which have also contributed to the current situation.”

Mr Kananji said ensuring a safe workplace for all employees was a top priority as well as protecting the mine and its assets.

“The mine will remain temporarily suspended until it’s declared safe to resume operations by the mine manager,” he said.

Among the activities that are underway to get the mine operational again include removing water from shafts, repairing critical infrastructure such as the mine clinic and ambulance, vehicle and heavy equipment repairs.

Mr Kaninji said due to flooding in shafts, some mining tools had to be removed from underneath the water. He said management and representatives of the workers will come up with a work plan, which will state how and when the workers will be paid their outstanding salaries moving forward.

During the illegal protest wives of mine workers barricaded the entrance to the mine obstructing willing workers reporting for the morning shift from entering the mine premises.

Gold

They went on to stage an illegal protest, which crippled mine business and further obstructed mine officials from switching on the generators when a loss of power was experienced. This resulted in the flooding of the underground mine shafts. The violent protestors tore down gates and scaled the perimeter fence before burning vehicles, destroying the mine ambulance which serves the mine workers and community. They also destroyed the school bus that serves the mine workers, burnt trucks, vandalised mine shafts and broke a newly refurbished mine clinic, which serves both mine workers and the surrounding community.

Families of targeted mine officials were harassed, their homes destroyed while the occupants, mostly women and children, had to seek refuge. — @DubeMatutu