Former HIV Positive Mashaba Workers Appeal for Food

“We are over 400 workers who are living with HIV here and all of us are just waiting for our death. We have tried all things and we are now tired – we lack basic food to support our condition.

“We are pleading for government intervention because we are starving now, some of us go for days without a decent meal. We are dying because we were neglected- with this situation that we are facing, we live in fear –thinking that we might die any time due to lack of nutritional support,” said Kennedy Zivengwa.

Silas Matangira said a well wisher had given them half a cup of milk each in February so that they can boost their diet.

He said they had queued for the milk on February 4 but those bed-ridden failed to get the supplies.

The workers last received a salary more than a year ago.

They said when a patient test positive for HIV; they were supposed to undergo certain compulsory tests such as Full Blood Count (FBC) which cost US$15, Chest X-ray, US$15 and Liver Test which costs US$ 14 among other various tests.

(MDC-T) confirmed the workers’ plight, saying the former mine workers were starving and that infant mortality rate in the areas had increased.

The mine was forcibly taken from a Zimbabwean businessman now operating in South Africa, Mutumwa Mawere, who had fled the country in the mid 2000’s after being accused of externalising funds.

Mawere has since been cleared of the charges and is currently fighting to regain control of his companies including the mines from government.