Mass Dismissals at Murowa Diamonds Spark Outrage O...

Mass Dismissals at Murowa Diamonds Spark Outrage Over Alleged Labour Law Violations

Witness Runodada

Zim Now Reporter

Murowa Diamond's management is facing a firestorm of criticism following a wave of abrupt and allegedly unlawful employee dismissals at its mine site in Zvishavane.

The company has reportedly terminated dozens of workers most of whom had been on repeated short-term contracts for over two years and were therefore legally entitled to permanent status under Zimbabwean labour laws.

According to accounts from affected employees, the dismissals were carried out in a shockingly aggressive manner. Management, acting under the direction of General Manager Jonathan Mapisaunga and Human Resources Superintendent Munyaradzi Mungaraza, is said to have orchestrated what some workers described as a “night of the long knives.” Workers were summoned individually, dismissed verbally without formal charges, and immediately forced off the premises aboard a bus that had been arranged by the company for that purpose.

The firings come on the heels of months of mounting tension at the mine. Workers say they have not been paid for over six months and have repeatedly raised concerns about poor working conditions and management abuse.

In response to their grievances, many engaged in peaceful protests and job actions. Rather than addressing the underlying concerns, the company has allegedly opted to retaliate, launching what is being described as a calculated purge designed to silence dissent.

Workers argue that Murowa Diamonds not only failed to meet these requirements but also violated the employment rights of those who had already passed the statutory threshold for conversion to permanent employee status.

Despite the gravity of the situation, there has been a conspicuous silence from government authorities. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has not issued any statements, and local members of Parliament, councillors, and civil society groups have yet to condemn the reported abuses.

Workers are now calling for immediate government intervention, including the deployment of labour inspectors and parliamentary scrutiny.

One affected employee, speaking under the condition of anonymity for fear of further retaliation, said the dismissals were clearly targeted. “This is a coordinated victimisation effort to silence employees and punish them for demanding what they are owed. We have families, we have rights, and we deserve better.”

Workers are demanding that the dismissals be immediately halted and that all affected employees be reinstated.