MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Zanu PF Masvingo youth league chairperson Delight Mandebvu allegedly manhandled a Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) female intern and pointed a gun at other members during Workers Day commemorations at Bikita Minerals on Wednesday.
ZDAMWU secretary general Justice Chinhema told The Mirror that Mandebvu assaulted a six member exhibition team accusing them of being unpatriotic and sellouts.
He said this followed a damning letter dated April 8, 2024, submitted to the mine management by union accusing the mine’s human resources manager Tonderai Charehwa and administration manager Martin Liu of perpetrating and ignoring worker abuses. Mandebvu allegedly has close relations with the two managers.
Chinhema said the matter was reported at Bikita Police Station on the same day. The intern Thelma Kanjoma also reported Mandebvu for indecent assault.
“We have 672 members at Bikita Minerals. The mine management has not responded our letter and this is their response as far as we are concerned. Mandebvu harassed Thelma after he saw that she was recording what was going on. He ordered the event organizing committee to reimburse our US$100 that we paid as exhibition fees and went on to kick us out of the mine premises. No one was hurt,” he said.
Masvingo Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was yet to get a report from Bikita Police Officer-In-Charge when contacted for a comment.
Efforts to get a comment from Bikita Minerals spokesperson Collins Nikisi were futile as his mobile phone was unreachable by the time of going to Press.
Mandebvu refuted the claims and blamed former Masvingo Mayor Collen Maboke for influencing ZDAMWU leadership to falsify charges against him.
“This is all Maboke’s doing. He is the one behind the false allegation. He hit me with his vehicle and I cannot walk. How could I possibly be going around assaulting exhibitors and pointing guns at them? I don’t even own a gun,” said Mandebvu.
Mandebvu and Maboke were involved in a road accident on March 3, 2024, and Mandebvu reported Maboke for attempted murder last week alleging that the former intentionally broke his leg when he attempted to run over him with his car. He only reported the matter after Police had served him summons to appear in court for assaulting Maboke, his wife Tariro and a relative Simbarashe Matyei after the accident.
Maboke said he has no knowledge of the matter when contacted for a comment.
Chinhema said Mandebvu pointed the pistol at Takawira Masocha (education and training officer), Dorcas Nerupiri (national youth coordinator), Vimbai Chinhema (gender and women coordinator), Kanjoma and Queen Kusotera (insurance marketing officer).
“The team comprised mostly of women and they are still in shock. Thugs should not be allowed to interfere with union works,” he added.
Part of the scathing letter that Bikita Minerals is yet to respond to reads, “Both Mr. Li Rui (martin) and Mr Tonderai Charehwa have turned a blind eye to atrocities perpetrated against workers by Bikita Minerals management and community at large despite being alerted of the plight of the workers through various letters seeking dialogue. This also extents to the sub-contractors engaged by Bikita Minerals where rampant abuses and unfair labour practices and unsafe working environments are now the order of the day. Rampant casualization of labour, unlawful transfers of workers to subcontractors and unilateral variation of employment contract is being initiated by the two managers leaving workers wondering if there is job security. Alleged cases of rampant sexual abuse from female workers by Chinese and local managers have been received and have largely been ignored by the two managers leaving victims of the abuses vulnerable and exposed.”