GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

MASHAVA – Controversy has shrouded the eviction of over 40 Shabanie-Mashava Mine (SMM) workers by the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) in preparation for the upcoming graduation ceremony slated for next month. The graduation will be graced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Ironically, it is Mnangagwa who presided over the fate of SMM when he was still the Minister of justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Great Zimbabwe University is evicting the former mine workers who they are accusing of occupying their property. Shabani Mashava Mine (SMM) owed workers millions of dollars and workers were left using the mine houses after the closure of the mine.
The unpaid salaries and workers benefits keep the workers staying in the money houses waiting for the Mine to reward them but they were surprised in 2012 when Great Zimbabwe University taking houses from former mine employees.
SMM which was owned by businessman Mutumwa Mawere was put under the curatorship of Afras Gwaradzimba after Mawere was specified in 2004 for allegedly externalizing money to South Africa. This was after SMM had stated that as at March 31, 2004, Southern Asbestos Sales Pvt Limited (SAS) was indebited to it in the amounts of US$18,464,595,27 CAD$628,071.84 and ZAR4,515, 367, 48.14.
GZU spokesperson Anderson Chipatiso confirmed the graduation but denied that the former employees were being evicted because of the impending graduation. He went on to say most of the people being evicted were never employees of SMM.
“It’s not new that people are being evicted. We have been doing that since the time we bought the property from the mine in 2012. Most people who are claiming to be former employees were never been employed by the mine.
“We are not doing this because of the upcoming graduation. It is because we just want to renovate our property. We know that only five or six people are genuine and the rest are just tenants of former employees. The evictions are above board and legal since the houses were bought from the mine by the University and the University is extending its accodation for both staff and students,” said Chipatiso.
However, former workers’ committee member and Gaths Mine Chemberi Residents Association committee member Steven Togarepi Matongo disputed Chipatiso and said they have been waiting for a communication from the mine after they were laid off in 2009.
“The situation in Mashava Gathsmine is dire because of the follow up evictions. It’s unfair to evict the workers without giving them their benefits and play games with us. We worked for the mine and all we want is our benefits.
The riot police are evicting people and taking our properties, far away from the house. After that they lock the house and if you tamper with the door you will be arrested. Currently, we have people who were arrested on Saturday. We are worried about our goods that they are taking, “he said.
Ward 3, Councillor Korowa Manyame told The Mirror that that about 40 families were evicted from the Mine houses.
“The evictions started last week and about 40 families are evicted from their houses by GZU. Some of the residents are now stranded at Balmain shops where the their with their goods.
Masvingo West Member of Parliament Ezra Ruvai Chadzamira wasn’t answering his phone when he was contacted by The Mirror to comment on the evictions.ontacting their Lawyers in Masvingo,” he said.
Masvingo Province Assistant Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu told The Mirror that he not aware of the case.
The illegal evictions in the small mining town are also done in Kingmine where, the former workers were evicted from the Mine houses to pave way for the Chinese nationals who are mining chrome at Kingmine.