By Justice Chinhema – ZDAMWU General Secretary.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – As we celebrate Africa Day today, let us all remember that as workers in the mine industry our struggle for fair working conditions came a long way.
On the 12-27th of September 1927, 3 500 African miners at Shamva Gold Mine went on strike over poor working conditions, poverty wages and racial discrimination then. The white authorities were to pretend that this was not a strike but native superstition and that the miners were afraid of ghosts. The strike was eventually broken by a mixture of divide and rule tactics and physical intimidation by management.
As early as 18th Century conditions on the mines were appalling. More than 4000 miners died in the compounds from diseases and malnutrition between 1906 and 1908. The protests against the authorities were made difficult by the British South African Police and their brutal methods. Despite this, there were many signs of an early resistance among African miners. Action that miners took included but not limited to:
1) Desserting the mine compounds we’re conditions were harsh.
2) Staying short periods at mines were conditions were bad and then travelling to such places as the Rand where conditions were better.
3) Strike action like the 1912 Hwange massive strike where hundreds of workers had died because of poor conditions.
d) boycotts of mine stores as happened in Shamva in 1920.
Over the years culminating into our independence in 1980, workers in the mining industry have fought fiercely for the improvement of working conditions and to some extent they have achieved some milestones challenges abound. Most of the problems even up today is that of housing, unsafe environments and low wages among others.
It is unfortunate that mine workers today continue to live in compounds were conditions are deplorable yet their mines are making huge profits from the sale of minerals in foreign currency.
Yes we have some mines which have moved to improve the living conditions of their workers and even paying above the minimum wages. This is commendable.
Going forward, ZDAMWU is putting in place a strong administrative structure that will help deal with most of the problems that workers in the mine industry continue to face.
The union is alive to all these challenges and will continue to do everything in the best of it’s ability to represent workers against all forms of unfair labour practices across the board.
Happy Africa Day to you All.
J Chinhema
ZDAMWU
General Secretary
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