Workers who spoke to The Zimbabwean at the company’s factory this week confirmed the development. “Some of the milk producing machinery has already been dismantled and moved.
The fate of workers affected by the relocation is not yet clear but indications are that some of the workers will either be transferred or retrenched,” said a worker at the Bulawayo branch who declined to be named.
“We are moving some of our equipment to other factories on a temporary basis as one of the measures to ensure business viability. In the meantime, sales and distribution will remain operational at the factory,” said company’s Corporate Communications Manager, Imelda Shoko. She said some products that used to be manufactured at various Dairibord factories will now be produced at a central location.
Dairibord has factories in Harare, Chitungwiza, Bulawayo, Gweru, Kadoma, Mutare and Chipinge. Sources at the company told The Zimbabwean that low raw milk supplies had adversely affected operations. Matabeleland used to be one of the leading dairy provinces but the latest statistics released by the Zimbabwe Dairy Services Association in 2012 show provinces in the region recorded 7,198,583 litres against the previous year’s 7, 568, 041.
Big companies in Bulawayo continue to either close down or relocate to Harare, leaving thousands of workers jobless.
Post published in: Business