THE defunct Redcliff-based Ziscosteel officially closed its doors last week after terminating contracts of the majority of its 4 500 employees.
Source: Ziscosteel fires all workers, shuts its doors – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 6, 2016
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
The workers confirmed the development yesterday, saying they were sent home empty-handed by Ziscosteel board chairperson, Nyasha Makuvise, after religiously reporting for duty for the past seven years without pay hoping the firm would eventually reopen for business.
Makuvise is reported to have held a meeting with management on August 28, where he informed them of the decision to terminate all employment contracts.
Ziscosteel workers’ committee chairperson, Benedict Moyo, referred all questions to the company secretary, Adam Takawira.
“I can confirm the latest developments at Ziscosteel. However, for more information, you will have to talk to the company because we agreed they would handle that,” he said.
However, Takawira could not be reached for comment.
Highly-placed sources said the dormant steel company had only retained 190 workers to provide care and maintenance for its machinery, while its mining subsidiary, Bimco, retained 45 workers.
“Even those who remained at work to do care and maintenance had their contracts terminated and will have to sign new contracts. What worries us most is not that they have been fired, but it’s because there is no plan to pay us,” a disgruntled former employee who declined to be named said.
The workers threatened to stage demonstrations over unpaid salaries if government fails to pay them by the end of this month.
“We know they will be protected by the courts, so we will not be trying to attach any of their property. We are going to protest and sleep at the company premises until we are paid.
“How can they close a company as if it’s a tuckshop?” another worker queried.
Efforts to resuscitate Ziscosteel stalled during the inclusive government era when Cabinet ministers haggled over the $750 million rescue package provided by Essar Africa Holdings.
COMMENTS
Anyone who religiously reports for work for seven years without being paid needs to re-assess his philosophy on life.
Including all those who support Zanu led government
Another fantastic zanu business track record at Zisco.
Farming is the way to go comrades – rains will soon be here so time to think about planting a crop
Yep, all you have to do is form a JV with fellow incompetents, hitch a ride on a police landy and go get a farm. Panga all livestock, burn the barns and break all farm implements. When it rains, u realise that you havent planted anything, so u demand fertiliser (what else could be at fault but the lack of fertiliser??) and then remember you are meant to blame the white man but that is not a problem as the Mug brigade have done that quite effectively for ages.
The much heralded fertiliser arrives, then you realise you have broken the tractor and dont have any crops on which to use it apart from the two mealie stalks outside the longdrop. No problem, you sell it to the guy down the road and catch a bus to town to buy some sadza, blissfully ignorant of the fact that the 20USD in your pocket will soon be gone…
Good advise Nelson. Why spend sleepless nights at the company’s doors wasting precious time. if they could not pay salaries in 7 years how can they do it now? Some people are amazing…wake up and start doing something useful with your life
And it is still necessary to get permission to import steel?
Who knows what ZANUPF think of considering they “WERE TO CREATE TWO MILLION JOBS”. Ah so
All we are good at in Zim is to kill opposition. They were happy when Gukurahundi killed innocent people in Matebeleland, and they still plan on continuing killing opposition supporters. We deserve all the suffering that the country is experiencing. Zanu PF was turned from freedom fighters to thugs in 1980. I don’t understand anyone who supports it
Another Obert Munchausen success story.
Thanks to Emmerson Munangagwa this gem and pillar of our industry is finally laid to rest
Steel is an unnecessary Western luxury easily replaced by cutting down mopane and msasa trees.
Zisco Steel used to be called Risco Steel under Smith Regime. Its seems like after Mugabe took over everything is just dying like him. well, may be the sooner Mugabe dies the better for the economy and every one. Everyone is expected to just die together with the 92 year old Mugabe.
This is a genuine triumph for ZANU. Their battle to ensure this country never develops moves on from victory to victory. Well done chaps. Keep up the good work
HOW INCREDIBLE !!! THAT RISCO WAS PROFITABLE (UNDER WORLD SANCTIONS) WHEREAS ZISCO IS DEAD AND HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. mugabe&co HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR, BUT I DOUBT THEY WILL.
Pakaipa gyz dai mwari vapindira
This is what you get if you appoint incompetent and clueless managers on the basis of who they know than on what they know
“……., after religiously reporting for duty for the past seven years without pay …………”
I totally agree with one Joe Cool on this one. Also, think if these people could religiously work for 7 yrs without pay, and survived, then they don’t even need the pay after all. They have proved beyond doubt that they can do without the pay. Its therefore clear that, what they can not survive without is their jobs; hence the reason they are now threatening to go & camp @ the Co premises. Surely, what they want are their jobs back not pay, as they claim. In fact, the pay demand is just a bargaining chip which they are dangling.
The big question is, therefore: If pay was never and is not an issue with these guys, so why do they need their jobs so much? No rocket science required to correctly answer this fundamental question anyway: Thieves, thieves, thieves,…… Obviously, there are things of value @ the Co which they have been stealing to sustain themselves and it is that room to steal which has been closed & that’s what they want back; not pay. Finish & klaar!