By Donald Nyarota
A severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding at RioZim’s mining operations across Zimbabwe, where workers at Cam & Motor Mine in Kadoma, Renco Mine in Masvingo, and Murowa Diamonds in Zvishavane have gone unpaid for five consecutive months, sparking urgent calls for government intervention.
The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) has sounded the alarm, penning emotional appeals to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. July Moyo, and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines, chaired by Hon. Edmond Mhere Matangira. The union describes an escalating catastrophe marked by hunger, school dropouts, unpaid rentals, and widespread emotional distress.
“This prolonged period of unpaid wages has created a humanitarian crisis,” wrote ZDAMWU General Secretary Justice Chinhema in letters dated April 1 and April 4, 2025. “The workers are struggling to meet basic needs, including meals, school and exam fees, and rent. Many have been placed on indefinite unpaid leave, with no clear end in sight.”
The company’s only public response thus far has been a Cautionary Statement issued on March 4, citing financial and operational challenges, as well as ongoing negotiations with a potential investor to acquire the company.
However, workers and union representatives are growing increasingly frustrated with what they call “empty promises” that fail to address their immediate needs.
“A month has passed since that statement, and there is still no tangible relief for the workers. They are sinking into deeper poverty, and entire communities built around these mines are being dragged down with them,” Chinhema emphasized.
ZDAMWU is calling for the government to take swift and decisive action, including the provision of emergency food assistance and financial relief through the Department of Social Welfare, and the immediate establishment of a high-level task force to address both the urgent and systemic issues in the mining sector.
The union has also demanded that the shareholders of RioZim be summoned before Parliament to account for their plans, both short-term, medium-term, and long-term, regarding both operations and the welfare of employees.
“These workers are the backbone of our economy. Their dignity must be restored,” said Chinhema. “Our natural resources cannot be left in the hands of investors who appear to be sabotaging the country’s development goals.”
RioZim, once one of Zimbabwe’s leading mining companies, has seen a string of operational challenges in recent years. The current crisis is the worst yet, with signs of collapse looming unless drastic action is taken.
As the nation grapples with growing unemployment and economic instability, the fate of RioZim’s workers is becoming a litmus test for Zimbabwe’s labor protections and corporate accountability. For now, the mine workers and their families wait, hoping for a lifeline.