BY VENERANDA LANGA

WORKERS’ unions have bemoaned the plethora of challenges faced by employees, whose stagnant salaries have been eroded by runaway inflation, amid incessant price hikes, flouting of labour laws and sexual harassment at workplaces.

Speaking to NewsDay ahead of today’s May Day commemorations, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa said the commemorations had been dampened by the spectre of food insecurity and serious financial challenges, which could get worse as the year progresses, with the Zanu PF government failing to tame the tide.

“This is another bleak year for labour and all hopes, soon after the November 2017 removal of former President Robert Mugabe that things will improve, have been dashed because the country is facing a plethora of challenges such as food insecurity, failure to pay rentals and a majority of school children are going to be sent away from school for failure to pay fees,” Mutasa said.

“A lot of workers are dying at their homes because they cannot afford medical care because they earn useless RTGS dollars, while there is a mismatch in prices which are in United States dollars.”

This year’s main commemorations will be held at Dzivarasekwa Stadium in Harare where opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and his entire top party leadership will be among the guests.

Mutasa said he will be the guest speaker and his speech will be followed by another speech by ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo.

“It is our day as workers so we as ZCTU, will be the guest speakers. We have invited all political parties (and leaders) in Zimbabwe, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa. If he does not attend, at least we expect the Labour minister Sekai Nzenza to attend as we have provision for their speeches. In the past, in 1987 and 1988, former Prime Minister Robert Mugabe used to attend May Day commemorations,” Mutasa said.

He said government policies pertaining to workers had caused much harm to the economy and there was now need to change course.

“Labour laws have been amended many times since 2002 with an aim to weaken protection of workers in line with neo-liberalist policies that government has put in place since 1991. Our Constitution for the first time recognised labour rights, but we have witnessed court judgments like the infamous July 2015 Supreme Court ruling where the law was interpreted in such a way that neo-liberalism and business win,” Mutasa said.

In the landmark ruling, the Supreme Court gave the employer the right to terminate workers’ contracts and offload them at three months’ notice without having to pay retrenchment packages.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said: “Our entire leadership from the party president Nelson Chamisa and other top leadership is going to attend, including MPs, councillors, members of the standing committee and party members will be there. Party members will also attend the May Day commemorations from various provinces in solidarity with the workers.

“Therefore, we expect anyone who has worked, who has never worked, and who hopes to work to come in solidarity with workers because people must be able to fight against the austerity measures that ZCTU is talking about.”

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Union chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said remuneration of workers had been eroded.

“Teachers, specifically, are now grounded such that some have debts of up to $2 000 every month when they earn $600 monthly. We now want employers to increase salaries,” Ndlovu said.

Association of Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said May Day commemorations come at a time when austerity measures put in place by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube have made the working class poorer.

“As far as labour rights are concerned, teachers that took part in demonstrations have had their salaries un-procedurally cut. Government is setting a bad precedent to the private sector. Our union members have also been abducted and tortured against international labour recommendations and local laws,” he said.

The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) said the commemorations come at a time when the economic situation is worsening, reducing most Zimbabweans, including workers to live a life of perpetual poverty.

“The harsh economic environment punctuated by rising cost of basic commodities, a cash crisis, retrenchments, unemployment and the widening gap between the poor and rich, has compromised the rights and health status of workers,” CWGH said.

The organisation added: “(Workers) cannot get or afford decent quality health services. Although the cost of living is skyrocketing on a daily basis, remunerations for most workers have remained stagnant for nearly two years condemning the workers to being destitutes.

“Worst affected are those working in mines, farms and plantations where wages are miserably low. Most of them depended on the collapsed public health sector and cannot afford private services.”

BY OBEY MANAYITI

THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC yesterday said the opposition party will not be cowed into silence by the State, while vowing its planned demonstrations will not be shelved despite threats of a clampdown by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Instead, the opposition party challenged the government to stop being on the offensive against pro-democracy activists and attend to the pressing economic situation that has triggered an upward spiral of prices.

Home Affairs minister Cain Matema on Monday issued a thinly-veiled attack on the opposition, claiming the State had gathered intelligence of planned civil unrest.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said demonstrations were constitutional and as a party they will not be deterred by such threats.

Mafume said the State is misleading itself with fake letters purportedly coming from the party reportedly implicating opposition leaders, Chamisa and Tendai Biti in the January violence.

“We don’t need greenlights for any demonstrations. They are a constitutional right and enshrined in section 59, to be (precise),” Mafume said.

“It is the person who has a problem with a demonstration who has to indicate what problem he has. To express ourselves is constitutionally enshrined and we don’t need to seek anyone’s permission.

“We will continue our peaceful demonstrations under the leadership of president Nelson Chamisa as and when it is necessary to do so together with aggrieved members of society.”

Mafume said instead of issuing threats, the government must work out solutions in the face of the deteriorating economic situation.

Mafume also encouraged party members to attend the memorial service of their founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai at his rural home in Humanikwa village, Buhera, over the weekend.

He said the requirement by the family not to bring regalia, but that of Tsvangirai, has no effect because all MDC members are also the Tsvangirai family.

“We will attend that in full force, we are going to be wearing whatever we want, whether it is party regalia or not. As you remember, Tsvangirai is the founder of MDC. We are the family of Tsvangirai, his family is the MDC.

“They were beaten with him, they suffered with him, they died with him and some of us are carrying the scars of being part of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai’s family. The family has no demarcation, the whole of Zimbabwe, the MDC and everyone who died in his name, everyone who was tortured in the name of MDC is his family,” he said.

BY Staff Reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pleaded with the country’s restive workers to be patient as his government implements measures to restore “decency and dignity” in the workplace.

He however, claimed that his efforts were being sabotaged by some members of the businesses community who are “willy-nilly” hiking prices of goods.

In a statement to mark today’s Workers Day commemorations, Mnangagwa said the “wanton and unjustified” increases in prices was unpalatable and may point to some other “sinister motives”.

“We are deeply concerned by the counter-productive machinations by uncaring, insensitive, irresponsible, inhuman and unpatriotic members of industry, business and commerce who continue to frustrate and undermine the economic modernisation and industrialisation agenda,” he said.

He said the price hikes had to be stopped forthwith.

“My government will not stand by and leave workers and the generality of our people at the mercy of a small group of rent-seeking and profiteering tendencies,” Mnangagwa warned.

“I urge wall workers to remain resilient, hopeful and focused as we accelerate our determination and resolve to build the Zimbabwe we all want.”

The President also called for the protection of women against all forms of violence and abuse in the workplaces.

“Let us also desist from child labour, foster fair and equal treatment; provide equal employment opportunities to all, include people living with disabilities,” he said.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday met members of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) amid the deteriorating economic situation in the country which has seen prices of basic goods skyrocketing.

Addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting, Mnangagwa said several issues affecting the country were discussed in the meeting which lasted more than two hours.

“We are concerned about the current situation in our country and we are putting our heads together to ensure we move our country,” he said.

Mnangagwa promised to convene a tripartite negotiating forum soon to collectively discuss ways of tackling the challenges facing the country.

PAC spokesperson Joe Mutizwa said the discussions were candid and as council members, they expect action from government to deal with the prevailing crisis.

“Some members had the opportunity to express themselves very clearly and we expect that some action will be taken and it can only be in the interest of the country,” Mutizwa said.

The PAC meeting was also attended by Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, some Cabinet ministers, including Finance minister Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, among other senior government officials.

Meanwhile, Cabinet on Tuesday pleaded with the business sector to stop wantonly increasing prices and directed that foreign currency be made available to industry for the manufacture of basic commodities.

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told journalists that Cabinet was seized with the issue of price increases.

Turning to the recent Cyclone Idai, Mutsvangwa said Mnangagwa is set to visit traditional leaders in Chipinge tomorrow and discuss the way forward in the aftermath of the violent tropical storm which left more than 350 people dead and 16 000 displaced.

Mutsvangwa said after Chipinge, Mnangagwa will also visit Mozambique to thank the Mozambican government and its people for giving decent burials to more than 100 Zimbabweans whose bodies were washed into the neighbouring country.

“His Excellency, the President shall, on behalf of government and the people of Zimbabwe, commiserate with the people of Mozambique, who were worse affected by the Cyclone Idai than ourselves through the provision of some relief assistance,” Mutsvangwa said.

Cabinet members are each mobilising at least $1 000 each towards support of those affected by the cyclone.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) says price hikes currently obtaining in the country are a reflection of government’s anti-export policies and not the fault of industry.

CZI president Sifelani Jabangwe told a recent business meeting in Bulawayo that prices were moving in tandem with the prevailing exchange rates.

“Exchange rates move when there is increased demand for forex. Industry only responds to the conditions on the ground and industry is right at the back of the cost-value chain,” Jabangwe said.

“When there are policies that discourage the generation of exports then the rate runs and so do prices, thus industry is not to blame. Prices are a mere reflection of policies and conditions, blaming industry for price issues is similar to blaming the dam wall for siltation.

“True, the siltation is made more visible on the wall, but the siltation will have been caused by other activities up stream,” he said.

Prices of basic commodities have been rising since last October when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe instructed banks to ring-fence foreign currency from Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) balances.

The situation worsened after authorities did away with the fixed 1:1 exchange rate between the local currency and the United States dollar and government has been quick to accuse business of profiteering and sabotage.

Jabangwe noted that the continued pressure on pricing was dampening aggregate demand in the economy.

“Currently, there is a mismatch between incomes growth and prices and many of the companies, including government, do not have capacity to accommodate increase in wages and salaries,” he said.

“This has a negative effect on aggregate demand. Inflationary pressures emanating from the recent review of producer prices of cereals such as maize/small grains, wheat and soyabean, among others.”

Jabangwe said pricing of foreign currency has always been at the centre of the economic stability challenges of the country.

“The pricing has always been affected by supply and demand. The economy has a high propensity to consume imported goods. In 2018 the economy imported $19 million worth of water,” he said.

He said savings could have been achieved in fertilizer and other sub-sectors, but the country’s inability to deal with imports which could be substituted with local goods was worsening economic instability.

“We have to take some hard actions on these unnecessary imports, otherwise we will then have conflicts on pricing of goods after we have drained the economy of forex while importing trinkets,” he said.

“We believe the trade deficit is at the heart of our challenges, particularly relating to price instability. It is not the root cause because there are causative factors which need to be unpacked. Since 2009 we have been running trade deficits annually,” the CZI boss said.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

CHINESE ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun said China was prepared to partner with the government in the establishment of a Chinese Culture Centre in Harare, where the two countries’ diverse cultures would be taught under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Shaochun made the remarks on Monday evening at the official opening of the five-day Belt and Road Afro-Sino Cultural Exchange exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Harare.

The BRI is an initiative that the Chinese government put forward in 2013 in order to encourage greater global policy co-ordination, infrastructure connectivity, investment and trade co-operation, financial integration, cultural and people-to-people.

“To further deepen cultural relations and to promote more cultural exchanges, we hope we could work with the Zimbabwean government to build a Chinese Cultural Centre here in the near future,” Shaochun said.

The Chinese ambassador said the centre would facilitate cultural exchange programmes which will see an increase in the number of trips by Zimbabwean and Chinese artistes to both countries.

Shaochun said China and Zimbabwe enjoyed great partnership, including co-operation in major projects under the BRI framework meant to foster an appreciation of each other’s cultural diversities.

“Our co-operation in culture, arts, health and education has been fruitful in recent years. The Dream Star Talent Show has helped talented Zimbabwean young men and women to discover themselves. Each year, we have multiple wonderful artistic troupes who visit China and Zimbabwe, respectively,” he said.

Shaochun applauded Zimbabwean artists and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) for their hard work that he said had popularised Zimbabwean art around the globe.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation acting minister Kazembe Kazembe said the close relationship between NACZ and NGZ had improved the working relationship among local artists.

“We hope this new programme will become a permanent feature on our national gallery’s calendar of events every year. It enhances their (artists) visibility, entrenches them in international co-operation and, indeed, widens their market,” Kazembe said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s principal director Benson Dube.

Kazembe said the platform helped create opportunities for artists to interrogate parallels in their working processes and strategies.

Meanwhile, the curtain will come down on the Belt and Road Afro-Sino Cultural Exchange programme today.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

Zifa (Pvt) Limited have challenged the annulling of the sale of one of their properties to a company called Olive Touch Investments, following a court challenge by businessman Maxwell Ndudzo on behalf of his company, Max Haivo Electrical Hardware, who had bought the house through the sheriff of the High Court.

The property had been attached after Zifa lost court battles against some of its debtors and Ndudzo bought the house following a public auction.

But upon initiating the process of changing the ownership of the property, he discovered that the house had since been transferred to Olive Touch, who had bought it from Zifa.

It is that transaction which was annulled by the court that Zifa are currently challenging together with two other interested parties.

Zifa’s special purpose vehicle had been ordered by High Court judge Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa to cancel its deal with Olive Touch because the property had been placed under judicial administration.

Ndudzo is accusing Zifa of double dealing after the football governing body sold a property that had already been sold by the sheriff of the High Court.

But Zifa through their lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu have challenged the High Court decision to rescind the acquisition made by Olive Touch.

In the appeal filed on the same day together with that of Olive Touch Investments, Zifa (Pvt) Ltd through Mpofu stated that Justice Munangati-Manongwa erred in allowing Max Haivo Electrical Hardware to have their way when the court reversed the transaction on claims that it was done fraudulently.

Mpofu claimed that the judge exercised academic jurisdiction and erred to grant the order sought by Max Haivo Electrical and Hardware as the company had no legal right to be involved in the matter.

“The court aquo erred in granting first respondent (Max Haivo Electrical and Hardware) relief which opened proceedings to which he was not party, had no legal interest and in which he could not legitimately participate,” the grounds of appeal prepared by Mpofu read.

Advocate Lewis Uriri has been engaged by Olive Touch to challenge the High Court decision to reserve the deal struck with Zifa (Pvt) Ltd, which was then represented by Marshal Jonga, a staffer at former Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa’s Investments at the time.

Court documents suggest that Zifa, through Zifa Private Limited, sold and transferred ownership of a house in Kensington to a questionable entity; Olive Touch Investment, at a time the sheriff had lawfully attached the property and sold it to Ndudzo on behalf of the association’s creditors.

Among the creditors who were supposed to benefit from the sale of the house included Led Travel and Tours and Lazarus Mhurushomana, a former Zifa employee.

But documents suggest that Led withdrew its claims to Zifa, but court papers have revealed that one of its directors, Bernard Gwarada was linked to Olive Touch Investments.

In the latest appeals against Justice Munangati-Manongwa’s ruling, Led Travel and Tours also filed their own papers on the same day challenging the decision to reverse the sale of the property to Olive Touch and raised similar arguments as those raised by Zifa (Pvt) Ltd.

According to a deed of transfer prepared by Ngarava, Moyo and Chikono Legal Practitioners in April 2017, Jonga, as documents at hand also suggest, illegally sold the house on behalf of Zifa Private Limited because the association tried to evade its creditors.

The court documents state that proceeds from the sale of the house were supposed to pay Mhurushomana and other Zifa creditors, but Jonga entered into an illegal deal with Olive Touch, a company that had no known operating address.

Fredrick Gijima, a lawyer representing Ndudzo stated in court papers that the sale of the house to Olive Touch by Jonga was fraudulent since his client had already paid for the same property through the sheriff.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

A Mutare man, who was being accused of raping his seven-year-old daughter, was yesterday acquitted by Rusape regional magistrate Livingstone Chipadze after the State failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

Chipadze told the court yesterday that the mother of the complainant fabricated the rape charges and coxed her daughter into filing trumped-up rape charges after their relationship had broken down.

He said there was evidence that the seven-year-old complainant’s parents were going through serious matrimonial problems.

Chipadze said the complainant’s mother tried to manipulate a maid by increasing her pay to falsely testify in court against the man.

The accused was represented by prominent Mutare lawyer Chris Ndlovu.

The court noted that the complainant was a clearly coached witness and her evidence was rehearsed.

“The complainant’s mother showed the court that she is clearly a bitter person against the accused and in court did not dispute that her own sister had at one time used or raised false allegations of rape against her husband,” the magistrate said.

The complainant’s mother was also discredited by the maid as an alcoholic and an individual who had attempted to manipulate her to falsely testify against the accused.

In the application for discharge at the close of State case, the accused lawyer Ndlovu said the woman attempted to sway the maid, who testified in the matter, to lie to the police that she had heard the complainant screaming in the bedroom.

“She, the complaint’s mother had promised a pay increase of $30 if she falsely testified against the accused, such an unstable and manipulative mother and is capable of doing anything, faced with the prospect of losing custody of the children, she concocted the allegations,” he said.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered a Chinese company to stop its planned quarry mining activities in Domboshava, following an outcry by over 20 000 villagers who had already been ordered to vacate the area and pave way for mining operations.

Information deputy minister and local MP, Energy Mutodi confirmed the development yesterday, saying Mnangagwa had declared the area a tourism resort, where mining activities were prohibited.

“President Emmerson Mnangagwa has come to the rescue of Domboshava villagers, who were facing eviction by a Chinese quarry mining firm, Aihua Jianye. The President has ordered that the firm stops mining activities in the area known for its rock art and as a tourist attraction,” Mutodi said.

The Chinese company was reportedly planning to evict 20 000 people from their land after it was granted mining rights to extract quarry stones from a hill in the area.

On Saturday, Mutodi met with the affected villagers and they resolved to resist the order and accused an MDC councillor identified as Tapiwa Murima and the district administrator, Prisca Dube of illegally allowing the Chinese firm to mine at Garimo Hill.

Aihua Jianye sought to mine quarry near Mverechena Shopping Centre and this would have seen people who are located within the five-kilometre radius being removed to create space for the project.

This comes as communities in Mutoko in Mashonaland East province and other parts of the country where mining operations take place often cry foul over the manner in which investors treat locals and the environment without compensation.

In Mutoko, where there is heavy mining of black granite, villagers are said to be impoverished with no jobs and their environment ravaged, yet the mining firms pocket huge profits.

According to the Environmental Management Act, before a mining operation commences, it has to get an environmental impact assessment (EIA) certificate which details how nature and its inhabitants would be protected by the firm.

The Domboshava villagers are questioning how the firm got the licence and right to establish the concern without an EIA certificate.

By Freeman Makopa

Zimbabwe will this month host the inaugural Wines of South Africa (WoSA) Sommelier Cup Zimbabwe semi-finals in Victoria Falls, with the winner set to represent the country at the fourth grande finale in Cape Town, South Africa in September, alongside other 11 invited countries from across the globe.

A sommelier or wine steward is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specialises in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing.

Eighteen participants have registered so far for the local semi-finals, with the registration deadline set for May 6.

WoSA agent for Zimbabwe, Kuda Hove said the competition is held every three years and the next event would be in 2021.

“Wine tourism is now a recognised growth factor for tourism internationally and we stand a very good opportunity to make Zimbabwe a consumptive wine destination through selection of product and experience through food and wine pairing and knowledgeable service personnel,” Hove said.

Hotels Association of Zimbabwe Victoria Falls chapter chairperson, Farai Chimba said human skill development was a key component that WoSA is providing through various initiatives in the country.

“As a prime destination for connecting to the wine lands of the Cape, it is a great opportunity for us to be also geared to serve and provide high quality wines, which the clients can enjoy,” he said.

From January 2019, WoSA has been running semi-final competitions in the invited countries until August. Other invited countries include Canada, China, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Netherlands, Sweden, UK and the US.

After the semi-final competition, the finalist from each country will be hosted in South Africa for a tour of the winelands. They will visit some of the Cape’s most prestigious wineries, meet and taste wines with award-winning wine-makers, dine in some of South Africa’s iconic restaurants and explore the wonderfully diverse cuisine on offer – all against the backdrop of some of the world’s most breathtakingly beautiful winelands.

The final will be organised in collaboration with the South African Sommelier Association, who have established themselves as an integral part of the food and wine industry in South Africa.

WoSA is a fully inclusive body, representing all South African producers of wine who export their products. WoSA, which was established in its current form in 1999, has over 500 producers on its database, comprising all the major South African wine exporters. It is constituted as a not-for-profit company and is totally independent of any producer or wholesaling pacompany. It is also independent of any government department, although it is recognised by government as an export council.