The workers, mainly recruited from the Bocha area that lost communal land to the mining company in 2006, had their employment contracts terminated this month without good explanation.
“The workers’ contracts were terminated despite the fact that the company was recruiting new workers from far away provinces such as Mashonaland and the Midlands,” said one affected worker on condition of anonymity. He said affected workers had approached the labour court, where a hearing is set for this week.
The worker warned of a tribal conflict at the mines if the situation is not addressed as a matter of urgency. Some of the workers reported that they had gone for three months without pay and proper food at the workers’ camp while management lived in luxury.
According to the workers, 320 employees would be dismissed by end of this month and be replaced with those connected to top company officials.
“The situation is not acceptable given that the company is dismissing some workers and replacing them with those from far away areas, in capacities as low as sweepers and general hands. To make matters worse those being recruited are related to some senior officials in one way or the other,” said the workers, who refused to be identified for fear of victimisation.
The Mbada bosses, the workers claimed, were recruiting their relatives to form diamond siphoning syndicates. They said the dismissals were not justified, especially as Mbada is expanding. The company recently began a new mining area at Wengezi, where 60 families face eviction from their communal lands to make way for the venture.
Wengezi is at the Chimanimani turn-off along the Mutare-Masvingo road. The area has been fenced off.
Melanie Chiponda, coordinator of Chiadzva Community Development Trust, confirmed that some contract workers did not renew their contracts recently under unclear circumstances. She blamed the workers’ plight of lack of transparency and accountability on the part of Mbada Diamonds.
“The situation is unfair to everyone since we cannot have a scenario whereby workers live in uncertainty for the whole of their term of employment. “Government should come out clear whether it will have one mining company in Marange or not, to enable the poor workers plan their future,” said Chiponda. She called on government to make proper geological surveys to quantify the diamond deposits in the area.
George Manyaya, the Mbada corporate executive, could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was never answered.
Post published in: Mining