Gweru's only dry cleaning company closed

GWERU'S only dry cleaning company, Top Line Dry Cleaners, has been closed amid reports that there is a bitter ownership wrangle. The company, which is said to have last paid its employees in November last year, has since been issued with a seven days ultimatum to pay the workers by the Labour Court.

According to the summons, failure to pay the workers their outstanding salaries will result in the messenger of court attaching the property of the closed company.

"You are hereby summoned that you do within seven (7) days after the service of these summons answer the claim of the plaintiff, failure of which legal action will be instituted to recover the claims by the plaintiff," reads part of the summons.

Sources close to the company operations said Top Line Dry Cleaners was struggling to pay employees while the company management was channelling funds towards its legal battle for the control of the company.
The source said the company was now being run by the Macheka brothers after they took over the company in 2009.

"The Indian owners are now claiming back the premises, arguing that the Machekas had been only leasing the premises. The  Macheka brothers on the other hand want the  the premises surrendered to them
permanently," said the source.

The source said the ownership wrangle has greatly affected the daily operations resulting in its closure recently.

"As a result of this wrangle, the employees have not been getting   their salaries since November last year with the Macheka family engaging lawyers to fight for the control of the company. The  police recently moved in and ordered the company to close while the two parties engaged each other. This was after the workers had also approached the police to have the matter resolved so that they could get their salaries," said a source.

Mr Macheka confirmed the ownership wrangle at the company.

He also confirmed that the company was facing challenges in paying employees but however said the closure had nothing to do with non payment of slaries.

"The company was only closed because there is some ownership wangle which we are trying to iron out. It's not that we have failed to pay the workers," he said.

Mr Macheka promised to visit Gweru Chronicle offices with full details regarding the problems facing the comapny but had not done so until the time of going to print.

His mobile phone went unanswered when this reporter tried to call for a follow-up.