Redwing Mine workers engage in massive strike

Workers at Redwing Mine have been picketing at the mine premises since 1 April. The contract workers had their employment contracts terminated on 31 March. They had not been paid for 15 months. Collectively they are owed about 2.1 million dollars.

Police invaded the company premises last week and told the workers that the sit in was illegal and asked them to apply for a permission to demonstrate. When they applied for a 10-day 24 hour protest period the Police said the days were too many.

On Wednesday 8 of the workers leaders were taken to Mutare Provincial Police HQ in Sakubva for a 'meeting'. In picture the workers are walking into an office to be interrogated

A source who is on the ground said, "These people are under some form of arrest and mental torture. Police have called them in for an intimidation session, to prevent them from demanding what they have worked for. Metallon Gold has defaulted paying workers their salaries for 15 months and yet the company was producing hundreds of kilos of gold. All its shareholders are paid up and the politicians who receive 'protection fees' have all been paid and yet the people who risk their lives going underground to extract the gold are languishing in poverty. Instead they are being called for questioning. Instead of helping workers recover their dues, govt is protecting the criminal, Mzilikazi Khumalo."

The workers also said Metallon Gold / Kings Daughter Mine, which has always been changing names to cover its tracks, has been deducting NSSA subscriptions which it never paid to NSSA.

"This is a criminal activity which must see the company directors being jailed for many years in a normal society. But this is Zimbabwe." He added