Marvo Stationary workers go for 27 months without pay

Marvo Stationary workers are wallowing in serious crisis as they have gone for 27 months without pay.

One of the affected workers Mbonisi Gumbo said the situation may sound unbelievable yet very true indeed in a democratic Zimbabwe.

"We have become slaves in our own Country even during the Smith regime era it was not as painful as it is now, our children are not going to school," he said.

"We are failing to pay rent, some are sick and they can't get medical attention because they are not able to pay Hospital bills, some have died during these trying times. Worse still we continue to come to work. Last month we buried our work mate a Mr Dlodlo who was 80years old he left all his back pays for 5 years and other benefits most painful part is that we went to West park cemetery by foot to bury our work mate since he was staying at Vundu bachelor's flats, it was difficult to hold a funeral service there. He was buried like a destitute yet he was employed for over 40 years at Marvo this is very unfair and totally unacceptable."

Gumbo said over 150  workers have been working without pay for the past 27 months and  the government has failed to rescue them.

"If it was because the company was struggling like many others it was going to be understandable, but for Marvo the story is different, we are simple failing to get paid because the Share Holders and management are not willing to pay us," he said.

"A Mr Valela and others in 2012 got $758 000 - 00, a further $189 000 - 00 was released to them, all this money was applied for using Marvo."

"Once it was released by CABS the money disappeared from Marvo accounts into private accounts now they are using those funds to bring in imported goods from South Africa to Browns Stationery leaving Marvo with nothing."

He said as he spoke there is no Bulawayo City Council running water, no raw material, no vehicles, no nothing everything have been transferred to Browns.

"Mr Valela and his shareholders came up with their satanic idea to rob us now they claim that the Company now belong to management," he said.

"Now the Company is being run by a Judicial manager a Mr C Mwete who is telling us to wait while he is looking for investors, how long must we wait we are tired of waiting?" he said.

"They are refusing to bring back part of the resources they looted from Marvo we are now told that the case is going to court this time between Mr Mwete the Judicial manager and the Share holders."

He said to prove that Marvo management and share holders are looting at Marvo how can they explain a situation where Marvo is making sales daily but there is no money in its accounts?

"Over the years some shelf companies being used to loot money from Marvo have been opened they are Posmaston-Mash and Posmaston-Mutarah, Jaymez and finally Browns these are the companies which have all the Marvo money while we wallow in poverty. As workers we will not rest until justice is done in our case we will make noise until justice prevails. We believe that justice delayed is justice denied," he said..

Efforts to get comment from Mwete were fruitless as he was said to be out of town.