By J Chinhema General Secretary.
The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Worker’s Union (ZDAMWU) joins the nation and indeed the working people across the world in commemorating the Hwange Mine disaster.
This is in rememberance of the 427 mine workers who perished in shaft number 2 on the 6th of June 1972 in one of the worst mine disasters ever recorded in mining history across the world.
Populary known as the Kamandama Disaster, the incident not only divastated the Hwange community but also left the families of the victims traumatised as their loved ones perished after a series of underground explosions occurred in the mine shaft taking away innocent lives in horrific fashion never seen before.
As we commemorate this touching incident, it is time that all relevant authorities such as government, employers and labour critically interrogate workplace safety and health issues which continue to take away lives with more than 30 deaths having been lost during the past two years in the formal mining industry while more than 100 lives perished in the small scale and artisanal mining sector.
Given this development, the union would like to register it’s displeasure over the failure by employers to ensure that watertight measures are put in place to reduce such incidents not only in the mining sector but across Zimbabwe’s dilapidated industries which have become death traps for unsuspecting and vulnerable workers.
It is unfortunate that our capitalist employers are failling to invest resources to address safety and health issues despite making huge profits from their undertakings.
Given this background, the union is urging the Ministry of Mines through it’s inspectorate department to make drastic measures to ensure that all employers comply with the safety and health guidelines governing the operation of the mine industry without fail.
Small scale and artisanal miners who are the major culprits in violating safety regulations should also ensure that they invest in appropriate protective clothing for their employees and set aside resources to replace dilapidated machinery and infrastructure to guard their employees against occupational risks.
To mitigate the crisis, the union is undertaking inspections in various mines across the country and will not hesitate to read the riot act on those found deliberately exposing their workers to preventable risks at the workplace.
The union is also disturbed by widespread reports of corruption involving Ministry of Mines officials who are in the habit of double allocating claims thereby creating chaos and furning violence and distabances in the small scale and artisanal mining sector.
Those found engaging in these practices should be arrested and face the full wrath of the law without any discrimination.
J Chinhema General Secretary.
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