Massive strike looms at Mimosa

Published: 05 November 2013

PLATINUM miner Mimosa faces a wave of strikes over plans to cut up to 700 jobs. The Zvishavane-based miner is also mulling wage cuts citing operational challenges.

Top management from Implats and Aquarius - the South African owners of the mine - will fly into a storm today with talks expected with the workers' committee which has vowed to fight the retrenchments.

Mine workers yesterday went around throwing flyers all over Zvishavane town urging their relatives and other residents to come out in large numbers and join them in the strike scheduled for today.

Mimosa Investments Ltd, the owner of Mimosa Mine, is registered in Mauritius and is owned 50 percent by Impala Platinum (Implats) and 50 percent by Aquarius Platinum Ltd.

"Tinovimba kuti makanzwa kuti varidzi veMimosa veImplats and Aquarius Platinum varikuuya mangwana. Vanoda ku retrencha uye kudzikisa mari dzevashandi. Hapana chikonzero chavangaitira izvi. If the issue is to do with Zanu-PF's indigenisation programme ngavasiyane nesu. Yasvika nguva yekuti tisimudze musoro. We must rise up and fight this oppression," read one of the flyers seen by Chronicle.

The flyers were thrown all over the mining town of Zvishavane by the Mimosa Mine workers after knocking off late yesterday.

A member of the workers committee who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were planning a "massive" strike at the mine today.

"We can't have this (retrenchment). They (mine owners) want to retrench us for no reason. We have been seeking solidarity support from other Zvishavane residents.

"Our wives and relatives will join us in this strike because we can't accept this," said the member of the workers committee.

A member of the management who declined to be named confirmed the company's plans to retrench workers.

He, however, declined to give further details arguing that the company's South African directors were the ones handling the matter.

"The issue of retrenchment is being handled by our South African bosses so you can wait for them tomorrow and get the full details," he said.

- chronicle