The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
A FORMER Allied Timbers contract worker from Chimanimani who is among 100 people camped at the timber producing company’s Mutare premises attempted to commit suicide on Tuesday afternoon after being served with summons to appear in court.
The 100 former contract employees have been staying at Allied Timbers’ Nyakamete premises for the past three weeks demanding their dues.
Pfungwa Jakata from the Chimanimani Estate of Allied Timbers was rushed to Mutare Provincial Hospital where he was treated before returning to join fellow former contract workers who are owed an average of 17 months wages.
Upon being asked about his motive in attempting to commit suicide, Jakata said he had no clue on how to go back home and face his creditors empty-handed.
However, the former contract workers comprising men and women with their children, who came from Chimanimani, Gwindingwi, Erin and Stapleford estates
owned by Allied Timbers, are now completing their third week camped at the premise and sleeping in corridors and a board room at Number 6, Hellens’ Drive, Nyakamete Industrial Area in Mutare.
When The Manica Post visited the Allied Timbers premises this week, the former workers accused company management of not giving due attention to their plight.
“These people do not care about us. They are now telling us to go away from this place without giving us anything.
“That is very cruel of them after all the hard work and effort that we put so that this company achieves its targets,” said one female former contract worker who refused to be named.
Another former worker who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had offered to go back to their homes on condition that they get $200 and then receive $200 monthly payments until they get their varying full amounts in full.
“It all goes to show that they do not care what happens to us. “Right now we have someone who almost died here because people are desperate.
“They do not know what to do next. However, the truth of the matter is that we are not moving an inch from this place until we get what rightfully belongs to us,” he said.
Although police visited the Allied Timbers premises on Tuesday and court summons were served on the defiant former employees, they remained adamant.
Allied Timbers’ public relations executive, Ms Veronica Gutu confirmed that they had received reports of a suicide attempt
“I understand there was an attempted suicide. “The issue is that Allied Timbers does not exist in a vacuum.
“As a company we are also going through the financial challenges that every other company in this country is facing.
“With the assistance of the law enforcement agents, we are following due processes to have the former contract workers return to their homes.
“As we speak they were served with a combined interdict and that means a peace order to have them vacate the premises as they are disturbing production as well as notice to appear in court on June 5 to have their case heard before a magistrate.
“All along we were avoiding direct confrontation with them that is why we accommodated them and even gave them food but we later realised that we made a mistake in doing so.
“We have now taken necessary steps to have them evicted and they should leave the place by 1pm today (Tuesday),” said Ms Gutu.
However, the former workers were still camped at the premises by yesterday (Thursday) morning refusing to vacate the place.
