Statement by Marvo workers - You can only fool government not us

YOU CAN ONLY FOOL GOVERNMENT NOT US

BRIEF BACK GROUND OF MARVO CASE

As Marvo workers we are worried by the behaviour of our Employer Marvo Stationery, ever since the dollarisation of the economy we have never benefited anything despite the fact that we worked. We have not been getting paid since beginning of 2009 when the government introduced the multi currency system. Instead of the situation to improve the situation have been worse for us.

Our situation went out of hand when our employer fradullanty split Marvo and Browns Stationery into two in 2012, which after that the Marvo share holders neglected Marvo in favour of Browns retail because then it was easy for them to import finished goods from South Africa. They continued to bring in finished stationery from that time until now.

While Marvo was being neglected but on the other hand they were using Marvo to borrow money from banks and all the debts were being accumulated in the name of Marvo. Marvo got $758 000 - 00 from demaf in 2011 which was meant to rescusitate the industry but that money was instead used to grow South African companies. As if that was not enough in 2012 after the split of Marvo and Browns the management of Marvo went and borrowed yet another $189 000 - 00, all these debts adds on top of our salaries backdated to 2009 to date, zesa and bcc bills among others.

As loyal workers we continued to go to work even when we were not being paid until 2014 August when Marvo was completely closed after the take over by the Judicial manager Mr Chrispen Mwete who promised that the company will be closed for not more than a month to allow a smooth take over but until now we are still not working and we are waiting for our back pays.

Last year when Minister of Finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa announced that it will now charge exorbitant duty fees for anyone importing finished goods, things started to be difficult for Browns who survive on the importation of finished goods from South Africa before they came up with a plan to bypass the government regulations for their own benefit at the expense of workers, government and the rest of the country. The government of Zimbabwe further tightened screws by imposing statutory SI 64 which completely ban the importation of curtain products from outside the country including finished stationery.

CURRENT SITUATION

The current situation is that the Zimbabwean government have been fooled again into believing that Marvo is now operating following a partnership between itself and an unnamed local private company at least according to state media Chronicle to be pricise. When infact Marvo is still clossed. Browns share holders have since come up with a plan to counter government ban on imports which zimra blindly accepted, the current plan is that Browns imports from South Africa what it termed semi complete goods or unfinished goods to be finished back home. A closer look at the so called unfinished goods or semi complete goods will reveal that those goods are actually 95% complete which in reality means Browns/Marvo is still importing finished goods at the expense of its workers. Out of over 80 remaining Marvo workers only 8 of them have been recalled to come and repack the finished goods from SA on a part time basis.

We reject such kind of corruption and we condemn who ever is involved in that scheme of looting and undermining poor workers. We told Marvo management a long time ago that they should give us our money so that we peacefully go and leave them with a small number of workers they want and can afford to pay. But because of their selfishness they are not willing to pay us our back pays. These people are so corrupt and they can do anything to get wealth. We have people who have died at Marvo for failing to buy medical bills which meant they couldn't afford professional doctors yet they are owed thousands of dollars in unpaid salaries. Pay us our money woo. Sifuna imali zethu phansi nge corruption phansi ngonsindezelo.

Concerned Marvo Workers.