Ex-Hwange Colliery workers face eviction

TENDAI BHEBE

Hundreds of former Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) workers  face eviction from company houses after the coal miner served them with eviction notices, Business Times can report.

Last year, HCCL evicted hundreds of its former employees from company houses in Number 1, Number 2, Number 5 and Lusumbami villages.

It has given more  eviction notices to  its ex-workers.

But, the ex-workers are resisting the move to kick them out of the company’s houses until they have been paid their dues in full and in United States dollars.

Greater Hwange Residents Association coordinator Fidelis Chima, said the ex-workers have no alternative accommodation.

Chima said HCCL and the ex-workers should come up with an agreement that will benefit both parties.

“And therefore as an institution what we are supposed to do is to make sure that there is a win-win situation between the two parties. So what we are proposing to do is that we will try to engage Hwange Colliery or alternatively the ex-workers to ensure that they engage the company and ask or make a request that they want to rent the houses which they occupy at reasonable rates,” he said.

Chima said the former employees have resisted the eviction on the basis that they were supposed to be paid their terminal benefits in United States dollars instead of the local currency.

No  official comment could be obtained  from HCCL. The company’s public relations officer Beauty Mutombe had requested questions in writing which were not responded to by the time of going to press.

“Currently my network is bad, so please send a WhatsApp message. I will respond to all your questions on the issue ,” she said.

It is understood that some of the affected ex-workers retired more than  10 years ago and have been staying in the company houses waiting for full payment of their terminal benefits by the struggling firm.

Recently, HCCL claimed it had fully paid the ex-workers in monthly installments.