The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has dismissed allegations by some of its employees engaged as monitors that there are earning ZWL$2 500 per month.
MMCZ is a parastatal under the purview of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. The entity is an exclusive agent for the marketing and selling of all minerals produced in Zimbabwe except silver and gold.
Some of the MMCZ monitors who preferred not to be named told Mining Zimbabwe that their salary was ridiculously low as it is far below the Poverty Datum Line.
In April, Zimbabwe’s poverty datum line spiked by 15.7 percent to ZWL$7 425 from ZWL$6 420 in March.
“…….…………………,” said one of the monitors preferring not to be named.
Of late, employers across the board have come under pressure trying to adjust workers’ salaries whose disposable incomes continue to be eroded by the relentless rising inflation.
According to Zimstat, the country’s year-on-year inflation in June stood at 737.26 percent while the month-on-month rate of inflation jumped to 31.66 percent in June from 15.23 percent previously.
Contacted for comment, MMCZ general manager Mr. Tongai Muzenda dismissed the allegations saying factoring the cost of living adjustment allowances, the monitors were earning around ZWL$10 000.
He said depending on one’s grade some of the MMCZ monitors are being paid more than ZWL$10.000 per month.
“What they are saying is not correct and depending on one’s grade and factoring the cost of living adjustment allowance, you would realise that some of them are actually earning more than ZWL$10 000 per month.
“So, whoever is saying they are earning ZWL$2.500 has decided not to tell the truth for the reason best known to them,” he said.
Taking into account the obtaining operational challenges businesses are grappling with, Mr. Muzenda said it is his view that MMCZ monitors are earning quite a good salary though not the best in light of the prevailing economic outlook.
“In my thinking, they are actually earning quite a good salary, though it is not the best because the prevailing economic environment is tough.”
Mr. Muzenda said in the interest of promoting public health and safety in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, he has refused to address a public meeting that MMCZ monitors have called him for.
“Just recently, l don’t know who had incited them, to call for a public gathering with me and l have refused.
“Actually, my words to them were, ‘whoever does not want to adhere to the Covid-19 protocol and guidelines, is free to leave MMCZ’.
“We all know that there is Covid-19 and to curb the spread of the deadly respiratory viral infection, we have to abide by the guidelines announced by Government,” he said.
Mr. Muzenda said as part of a broader scope of precautionary measures and guidelines to fighting the spread of Covid-19, MMCZ has had all their workers tested.
“We have decongested our work premises by making sure that’s some employees work from home. Workers working from the work station, have to get approval from the respective head of departments, either myself or the deputy general manager,” he said.
Meanwhile, as of yesterday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases stood at 2 512, including 518 recoveries and 34 deaths.
