Prince Danda
ZVISHAVANE – The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) general council member Caleb Joboringo has expressed anguish with the continued closure of Shabanie Mashaba asbestos mine, saying the demise of operations had caused misery in the communities.
Joboringo was speaking during the Workers’ Day commemorations held under the theme, “Fighting Unemployment, Poverty and Inequalities” at Chiedza Hall in Zvishavane, where he stood for ZCTU president Peter Mutasa.
He said the closing down of the mining company had pushed down thousands of workers into abject poverty.
“Many workers were sunk into poverty by the closure of Shabanie mine. Was our struggle simply about the transfer of power from a white minority into the hands of a corrupt black minority?” Joboringo asked.
It has been years since operations at Shabanie mine were stopped following government interference and expulsion of Mutumwa Mawere.
Government later took over control but has not been able to resuscitate operations leading to high levels of poverty and social vice.
Joboringo, who is also the Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (Zewu) president attacked the enrichment of a small black elite at the expense of the majority that is now suffering as a result of bad decisions made at the top.
This, he said is, was the motive for the forced closure of the mines, as well as the reason why workers everywhere in the country are receiving poor salaries and sometimes no salaries at all.
He called upon workers in Zvishavane to reflect on whether or not what is happening now was what nationalists and former trade unionists like the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo had fought for.
“It is time we ask ourselves, why did former trade union leaders die?….was it achieved? Corruption has taken the centre of Zimbabwe’s economy and equality between the employer and the worker remains an illusion,” said Joboringo.
He called for a unified action from workers all over in order to shape a better tomorrow for the coming generation.local
