Wives of Hwange Colliery workers have threatened to boycott the forthcoming general elections until government intervenes to force the giant coal producer to settle their husbands’outstanding salaries dating back to 2014.
The group of women have been engaged in a sit-in at Hwange Colliery premises for the past 95 days protesting against the company‘s failure to pay their husband’ salaries.
In an interview with 263Chat, Hwange Colliery Women’s Group Spokesperson, Thobekile Shoko said they will only vote when government intervenes in their dispute with their husband’s employer.
“We are calling upon the President to help us get out from the abuse the Hwange Colliery has put us in, we cant vote until we are noticed by the government,” said Shoko.
Hwange Colliery Women’s Group chair-lady, Claris Ngoma said school dropouts had increased while prostitution has become the order of the day in Hwange as a result of poverty.
“If the President says the voice of the people is the voice of God and Hwange women have been speaking out for the past 95 days and it means God has been speaking for those days.
“The non payment of salaries at Hwange colliery has led to a lot of challenges affecting women and our families and there is increasing rate in terms of school drop outs whereby our children are no longer going to school.
“Women have turned into prostitution,the dignity of a women has been lost in Hwange,if any man asks me out,l will simply accept expecting something that will benefit my family.
“Our children are getting into early child marriages around 13 to 14 years trying to survive and there is an increasing rate in terms of school drop outs.
“Buying tomatoes is now a leisure in Hwange since no one can afford to buy them since our husbands are not being paid their salaries,” said Ngoma.
Meanwhile the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) urged the Hwange Colliery leaders to urgently address the workers impasse in line with President Mnangagwa’s commitment to improve the lives of all citizens.
“The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) and its partners stand in solidarity with the picketing Hwange women who have endured the social and economic hardships for a just cause.
“We believe that social and economic justice is possible in our lifetime and thus the Government of Zimbabwe (37% shareholding in HCCL) must stand true to the sentiments made by his Excellency President Mnangagwa in his inaugural speech that our timeless goal and aspiration is to better lives for everyone. The leaders have got the mandate to ensure that the impasse at HCCL is urgently addressed,” noted ZIMCODD.
