Rio Zim fires employee over Studio 7 interview

A Rio Zim, Empress Nickel Refinery section workers committee chairman has been suspended over a Studio 7 interview.

The worker only identified as Muchenje was fired this week over an interview with Studio in which he aired out his view over the ill treatment of employees.

Muchenje was fired just days after RioZim closed its three mines due to a shortage of dollars, the company said in a letter.

RioZim is the country’s third biggest gold producer and early this month threatened legal action to force the Reserve Bank to pay it more US dollars for part of its output.

However, the firm has not yet filed its case against the government.

RioZim chairperson Lovemore Chihota told the central bank in a letter dated October 28 that the company had run out of critical consumables and spares required for its mines, forcing the shutdown.

The country, which adopted the use of the US dollar in 2009 to tame hyperinflation, is gripped by acute shortages of greenbacks. Prices of basic goods, public taxis and medicines have risen in the last few weeks.