Chiyangwa workers go unpaid for 3 years

Report by Silas Nkala

BULAWAYO – About 50 workers at the Zimbabwe Engineering Company (Zeco) in Bulawayo have accused their employer, Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa, of failing to pay them full salaries for the past three years.

The workers, who claim to be owed as much as $12 000 each in outstanding salaries, have since reported the matter to the National Employment Council for the Engineering Sector for arbitration.

At its peak, the engineering firm, which specialises in the manufacture of train wagons, reportedly employed in excess of 2 000 workers, but it has since scaled down to about 50 reportedly due to financial problems.

Last month, the company laid off 17 workers. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions officer for the western region, Percy Mcijo, confirmed receiving the report over the crisis at the company.

“According to details we got from our members, the workers say they have not been paid for the past three years with the highly paid being owed over $12 000 each,” said Mcijo.

“On top of company closures, it appears the crisis of Bulawayo companies is now coming in various forms, ranging from scaling down operations, unclear retrenchments, use of workers without pay and liquidations,” he said.

“Bulawayo is being besieged through all forms and artillery.”

Chiyangwa, who is Zeco chairman, was not picking his mobile phone last Friday while an employee at his office said he was out. NewsDay