Tongaat workers go on strike

MORE than 500 disgruntled Tongaat Hullet workers staged a demonstration at Chitsanga Community Hall, Tshovani Township in Chiredzi last week in protest against the allocation of 4 000 hectares of sugarcane farms to 138 indigenous farmers in Masvingo Province saying the move will render 2 500 of them jobless.

Tongaat Hullet, owners of Hippo Valley and Triangle, employs at least 16 000 permanent workers and hundreds of casual employees who are occasionally hired by the company during harvesting of sugarcane.

The Government early this year gave 138 beneficiaries, mostly from Masvingo, offer letters for the sugarcane farms but of late there has been some friction between new owners and the Zanu-PF provincial leadership over the occupation.

President Mugabe reportedly told the provincial leadership to look for alternative land at the Nuanetsi Ranch which is under Development Trust in Zimbabwe (DTZ) when he visited Chiredzi in May. The cardwaving protesters were, however, barred from marching by police whose heavy presence forced the organisers to opt for the community hall.

The workers were led by their unions, Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Workers Union (ZSMIWU) and Sugar Production and Milling Workers Union of Zimbabwe (SPMWUZ).

Some of the placards were inscribed: “Stop victimisation of investors, Tongaat Hullet is where we live, leave Tongaat and look for alternative land, we also want shares in Tongaat, down with corruption, among other messages.”

Speaking at the occasion SPMWUZ president Mr Jeri Mahuni said they will not allow workers’ welfare to be sacrificed by some politicians at the expense of the already suffering workers.

The occasion was graced by all four National Assembly members in Chiredzi District comprising; Retired BrigadierGeneral Kalisto Gwanetsa of Chiredzi South, Robert Mukwena (Chiredzi North), Danford Masiya (Chiredzi East) and Darlington Chiwa (Chiredzi West).

“We are demanding that politicians in Masvingo should stop being greedy. President Mugabe has already announced that workers should not be deprived by selfish people,” said Mr Mahuni.

He said those who have occupied the farms have acted in defiance to President Mugabe who made it clear that workers deserve to be protected.

“Those 138 people given farms in Chiredzi have caused a lot of mayhem here as they cannot pay workers. About 2 500 are on the verge of losing their jobs yet the party is behind the creation of more employment opportunities,” he said.

Addressing protesters Cde Chiwa said the “controversial” allocation of sugarcane farms to new indigenous people should be reversed because it was not in the interest of the people in the Lowveld.

“When we, as Zanu-PF were campaigning in 2013, our manifesto was emphasising on creating two million jobs but three years down the line, some of our members want to render 2 500 workers jobless. Such people always pretend to be supporters of President Mugabe yet they are saboteurs,” said Cde Chiwa.

He said Zanu-PF is a people’s party, hence its desire to stand by the people.

“We must not allow selfish people in the provincial leadership to dampen the spirits of investors. Zimbabwe needs foreign direct investment (FDI). Tongaat has helped many families through providing employment to a lot of youths. We are against its takeover as we have learnt through local provincial local papers. Those who have been given offer letters should be given alternative land as President Mugabe has said. The party stands by the people and we should demonstrate that,” he said.