THE Zanu PF Mashonaland Central provincial leadership hasp has negotiated with new Ran Mine investors to delay the eviction of 500 families residing at the mine compound following a 48-hour notice issued by the High Court for them to vacate the premises.
NewZimbabwe.com understands that an agreement was reached last week to allow the families to continue residing at the mine compound until alternative land to relocate them was found.
Ran mine has been dysfunctional since 1999.
Bindura North legislator Kenneth Musanhi, who is the most senior Zanu PF official in the province, led the negotiations along with Mashonaland Central minister of State Monica Mavunga.
“If the owner wants to remove the 500 families, he should find them another place to stay. We are headed towards winter and they will be left homeless,” Musanhi told NewZimbabwe.com in an interview.
“The company should find Ran Mine residents an alternative place to stay if they want the residents gone,” he said.
Gadriel Mandangwe, a Ran Mine resident said: “A meeting was held with residents of the mine compound to deliberate on letters of eviction that were given to families of mine workers to vacate the area within 24 hours. We have been employed at this mine for over 20 years and have outstanding salaries that date back to 1999.”
He added: “A few misguided elements distributed letters of eviction forcing Ran Mine residents to demolish their own houses whilst some removed iron sheets from the roof in agreement to the eviction.”
He urged Ran Mine to first pay all outstanding salaries to workers before evicting them as well as providing them with a decent alternative place considering they have spent over two decades at the compound.