Hwange Colliery Company (HCCL) has evicted retrenched former employees and threw their furniture out of company houses.
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Core dispute: Ex-workers claim unpaid terminal benefits, while the company wants them to vacate its houses.
CORE ISSUES
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Unpaid benefits: Retrenchment packages were only partially paid (often in local currency).
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House occupation: Ex-workers stayed in company houses (in Number 1, 2, 5, and Lusumbami townships) while awaiting full payment.
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Company stance: HCCL is pursuing court-ordered evictions to recover its properties.
KEY CHRONOLOGICAL TIMELINE
~2010s (Major Retrenchments)
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HCCL retrenched workers due to financial trouble.
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Initial payout was reportedly ~7%, with the balance meant to be paid over 36 months.
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Many packages were only partially settled (some owed up to ~US$20,000).
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Ex-workers and families remained in company houses for 10–12+ years.
July 2020
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HCCL ramps up evictions.
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Ex-workers go to court to stop “arbitrary evictions” and get provisional orders to re-occupy homes (e.g., in Lusumbami).
March–June 2021
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Specific incident: Eviction of Rosemary Nyamuba and her minor children by HCC security.
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Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) secures a court order allowing them to re-occupy.
February 2022
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HCCL wins a court order to evict ~200 ex-workers who refused to leave.
March 2022 (Separate Issue)
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52 families in Lubimbi, Binga (near Hwange) face eviction linked to HCCL’s mining expansion plans (distinct from the ex-employee housing case).
April 2022 onward
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Company begins executing evictions.
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Ex-workers and groups like the Greater Hwange Residents Trust continue legal resistance.
June 2024
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HCCL disconnects electricity to houses occupied by 300+ former employees to pressure them to leave.
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Residents’ Trust condemns this as arbitrary; unions call it a human rights concern.
2024–2025 (Ongoing)
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Court battles continue (e.g., February 2024 Bulawayo High Court case).
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HCCL receives millions in government financial support, strengthening its enforcement position.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS (2026)
Mid-June 2026: “Operation Chigumula”
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A local enforcement drive targets long-term rent defaults and non-payment in Hwange colliery houses.
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Overlaps with the ex-workers’ situation, leading to eviction notices or actions.
June 28, 2026: Viral Social Media Post
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A tweet from @TheLifeZoomer shows fresh eviction scenes.
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Photos show families and belongings (furniture, mattresses) left outside homes.
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The post alleges these are retrenched ex-employees who never received full packages.
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Framed as a humanitarian concern, calling for due process, dignity, and a fair resolution.
