The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZIDAMWU) has raised concerns over the handling of property sales by the former Shabani Mashaba Mines (SMM), with Secretary General Justice Chinhema calling for an audit into the transactions.
Speaking to Great Dyke News, Chinhema questioned the transparency surrounding the sale of SMM properties to institutions such as FBC and the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), alongside independent buyers, highlighting the plight of displaced former workers who are yet to be paid what they are owed.
“There are people who have been left to stay in houses with cracks, and they are not even allowed to improve the buildings,” said Chinhema. He stressed that many displaced individuals now face housing instability, while those owed payments by SMM remain unpaid. “Where did the money go? These properties were sold, yet small debts of between two to ten thousand dollars remain unsettled. The funds from these sales should have been used to clear these debts.”
Chinhema further urged authorities to investigate the full extent of the sales, including the value of the land and properties prior to their sale.
“We need an audit to determine what properties SMM held before these sales, and where the money went. This has become a human rights issue, with people displaced and left in dire conditions.”
