News / Local
Obert Mpofu fails to pay workers
16 Jan 2015 at 07:28hrs | Views
IT never rains but pours for Transport minister Obert Mpofu as only a week after his Allied Bank was closed, it has emerged that his other company, Trebo and Khays, is failing to pay more than 100 guards it employs.
The guards have reportedly gone for more than six months without pay.
An employee at Trebo and Khays, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they last received their salaries in June and were struggling to make ends meet.
"We have been working for Mpofu within the security department, but the situation is very bad as it doesn't look like any efforts are being made (to pay us)," he said.
"Bulawayo security guards are not the only ones affected, the others include those from Nyamandlovu and Gwanda."
The employee said some of the workers had been evicted from their lodgings over non-payment of rentals as they had not received their salaries for half a year.
"Schools have been opened and children need fees and uniforms," he said. "They should lead by example as leaders, but they are treating us like this."
Another employee said the management should come out in the open and address workers.
"We need the management to tell us if our services at the company are no longer required," he said.
"As a result of the non-payment, we are failing to make ends meet and have been surviving on handouts from friends and relatives."
Trebo and Khays human resources manager, only identified as S Dube, declined to comment on the matter yesterday.
"I am not aware of all those allegations and we do not normally talk about our internal issues to the press," she said.
"They know where to go if they have any complains."
Efforts to get a comment from Mpofu were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Mpofu is considered one of the richest people in the country and has in the past boasted he had never been poor.
However, his companies seem to be struggling as there have been several reports he was failing to pay his staff.
Mpofu's Allied Bank recently surrendered its operating licence to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe immediately closing its doors to the public and bringing to an end its turbulent operations.
The guards have reportedly gone for more than six months without pay.
An employee at Trebo and Khays, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they last received their salaries in June and were struggling to make ends meet.
"We have been working for Mpofu within the security department, but the situation is very bad as it doesn't look like any efforts are being made (to pay us)," he said.
"Bulawayo security guards are not the only ones affected, the others include those from Nyamandlovu and Gwanda."
The employee said some of the workers had been evicted from their lodgings over non-payment of rentals as they had not received their salaries for half a year.
"Schools have been opened and children need fees and uniforms," he said. "They should lead by example as leaders, but they are treating us like this."
Another employee said the management should come out in the open and address workers.
"We need the management to tell us if our services at the company are no longer required," he said.
"As a result of the non-payment, we are failing to make ends meet and have been surviving on handouts from friends and relatives."
Trebo and Khays human resources manager, only identified as S Dube, declined to comment on the matter yesterday.
"I am not aware of all those allegations and we do not normally talk about our internal issues to the press," she said.
"They know where to go if they have any complains."
Efforts to get a comment from Mpofu were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Mpofu is considered one of the richest people in the country and has in the past boasted he had never been poor.
However, his companies seem to be struggling as there have been several reports he was failing to pay his staff.
Mpofu's Allied Bank recently surrendered its operating licence to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe immediately closing its doors to the public and bringing to an end its turbulent operations.
Source - Southern Eye
