Machete Gangs Looting Resources At Defunct Ziscosteel

The marauding machete-wielding assailants, who have wreaked havoc in recent months, do not only confine their notoriety to the gold mining claims in and aound Kwekwe where they illegally prospect for the precious metal, they have since become part-and-parcel of a network of looters stealing resources at defunct iron and steel giant, Ziscosteel, it has emerged.
Acting Board chairperson for Zisco, Dr Gift Mugano told one state-run daily publication that machete-wielding thieves have been fleecing off the previously revered steel giant of its remaining resources where theft and plunder have become the order of the day.

Dr Mugano also blamed former workers at the company as the main scapegoats for the prevalent thefts and looting dogging the sleeping steel powerhouse.

To bring instant remedy to the looting, he said, moves to beef up security at the company premises were currently underway.
“The situation on the ground is that there is looting at the company by some former workers and thieves who are taking away cables and other material from the plant for resale”, Dr Mugano was quoted by the Chronicle as saying.
He further quipped:
“Machete-wielding thieves have also targeted the company as they go and threaten the security with machetes before getting inside and looting the resources”.
“We are going to beef up our security to avoid such happenings from being repeated. We are also going to carry out a forensic audit and an evaluation of assets so that we account for every asset,” Dr Mugano said.
He also said that Government had already been notified about the need for a forensic audit at the company which, at its peak in the 90s, had a staggering recruitment of 5000 staffers.
Zisco was closed in 2008 during the hyper-inflationary epoch which rendered most operational companies defunct.

State Media