Two Nations Correspondent

Gwanda- Hundreds of people torched property belonging to Vumbachikwe Gold Mine in Gwanda and looted shops after Police fired teargas on women protesting a three -month backlog in the payment of their husbands’ salaries. 

The incident happened on Tuesday and efforts to get a Police comment were futile. 

 The women said they had gathered around dawn, shutting down mine operations to demand that their husbands be paid their outstanding three months salaries.

“We are here because our husbands have not been paid for the past three months, life has been difficult and our children are being turned away from school over non payment of fees,” said a distraught Thembinkosi Nkomo.

The women had held hostage the mine manager None Kananji for over six hours as he sat in his car protected by armed riot police officers.

Gwanda District police boss Mandlenkosi Moyo arrived around 5pm and advised the women they had gathered illegally and ordered them to disperse.

However the women remained defiant and police then randomly fired teargas at them which angered their husbands and crowds that stoodby who retailiated by throwing stones at the police.

“The police have been bribed by the mine manager how can they use teargas on babies,they can kill us but we want our money” said one woman with a baby clung on her back.

Kananji could not be reached for comment as his mobile continuously went unanswered.

Police have reportedly returned to Vubachikwe this morning were they are reportedly going door by door arresting suspects.