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Each worker is reportedly given two pair of shoes per month, which are worth about $50.

The company is situated at Number 22 Coventry Street, Belmont and has a workforce of about 70.

It manufactures shoes, sandals and other footwear products.

Some of the disgruntled workers who spoke to Chronicle on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation yesterday accused the management of playing hide and seek.

They said they were in a difficult situation as they were failing to pay rentals, buy food and send theirchildren to school.

“Since 2009 we have not been paid our full salaries but we have been reporting for duty every day.

Management is only giving us two pair of shoes per month, which they say we should sell to recover our money,” said one of the workers.

“These shoes are not helping us in any way because they charge us $25 per pair instead of $15.

Altogether these shoes are worth about $50.In any case we are given sub-standard shoes, which have been rejected in Malawi. We appeal to the responsible authorities to intervene in this issue because we are suffering.”

Another worker said they have engaged the labour unions over the issue without any assistance.

The worker accused labour bodies of downplaying their plight.

“We have reported our case to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on several occasions but they have not done anything. It seems they have also connived with the management because they are not taking any action,” said the worker.

Some of the workers said they have been forced to take their children to their rural areas after failing to afford the “expensive” urban life.

“The lives of the more than 70 workers in that company are so distressing. It is as if we are doing community service. Right now we have taken our wives and children to our rural homes because we cannot afford to pay rent. Some of us have been thrown out by their landlords and are now living in squalid conditions koVundu. We cannot take our children to school either, let alone buy food,” said the worker.

The workers said the company owed them more that $3 000 each.

They also said some of their workmates have been retrenched without benefits after serving the company for more than five years.

Said another worker:  “The debt collectors have attached my property because I have failed to pay fees for my child for the whole of last year. We have discussed all these things with ZCTU but they are suppressing the issue up to date. This company is making a lot of money because we operate normally. We supply local shops and the export market to countries such as South Africa.

Management is not being honest to say there is no money. They are just taking advantage of the economic situation to lie to us.”

The company’s financial director, Mr Charles Moyo, confirmed the development and said management and workers had discussed the matter.

“Our company has been facing operational constraints since the introduction of the multiple-currency system in 2009. As a result we have not been able to operate normally hence we fail to pay our workers accordingly,” said Mr Moyo.

“We then discussed the issue with the workers to say even if it is illegal to pay them in kind, those who agree can take shoes and sell them to get money than having nothing. They were not forced. As it is, we owe the workers about $200 000. We had 300 workers in 2009 but today we have only 75.

“Our problem is working capital because we lost all the money we had saved at the bank. We are even trying to sell some of the property to pay our workers. We had pinned our hopes on Dimaf but Government has betrayed us. Right now we have an order of about 15 000, which we are not able to satisfy. If we can get $500 000 the company can operate efficiently but $200 000 will go for the human capital.”

Contacted for comment the organising secretary for the Zimbabwe Leather and Shoe Allied Workers Union Mr Matthias Nyanete said what the company was doing was illegal.

“It is illegal for the company to pay workers in kind. The case has gone to the National Employment Council and a determination has been passed. This means we are still in the process of finalising engagements with the employment council’s lawyers. We have sent the information on how much the workers are owed in total so that they can get their money back,” said Mr Nyanete.