ZCTU blasts 'zvigananda' cartels

Published: 7 hours ago

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has launched a scathing attack on alleged corrupt cartels, blaming them for worsening workers' living conditions and calling for urgent pro-poor reforms.

Addressing workers during International Workers' Day commemorations at Dzivarasekwa Stadium in Harare, ZCTU president Florence Taruvinga singled out powerful business cartels - commonly referred to as "Zvigananda" - for driving up the cost of living.

The term "Zvigananda," popularised in political discourse by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, refers to a small group of politically connected elites accused of amassing wealth through state patronage and opaque deals.

Taruvinga accused cartels in the fuel sector of manipulating prices, arguing that Zimbabweans are paying some of the highest fuel costs on the continent.

"Why do we have middlemen in the oil industry when we have National Oil Company of Zimbabwe which can do the job at a lower cost?" she asked.

She also questioned the government's fuel blending policies, saying they have failed to ease prices and instead added to the burden on ordinary citizens.

In a strongly worded appeal, Taruvinga urged the government to prioritise the welfare of citizens over elite interests.

"Our clarion call to government is serve and save the people, not to serve and save Zvigananda," she said.

The ZCTU leader painted a bleak picture of workers' earnings, saying wages remain inadequate and often eroded by currency instability in an economy that is largely dollarised.

She criticised the current minimum wage - pegged at US$150 per month - as insufficient to meet basic living costs, warning that it undermines collective bargaining efforts as private sector employers often align with government benchmarks.

"We are in a crisis," Taruvinga said, adding that many workers are being paid in local currency that rapidly loses value.

Taruvinga also highlighted challenges in the public health sector, citing recent industrial action by health workers demanding better pay and conditions.

"Healthcare is collapsing… many public hospitals are operating at minimal capacity with critical shortages of medicines and functional equipment," she said.

The remarks come amid mounting pressure on authorities to address inflation, wage erosion and service delivery gaps. Labour unions say without decisive intervention, the gap between the country's elites and ordinary workers will continue to widen.

As Zimbabwe marked Workers' Day, the ZCTU's message was clear: tackling cartel influence and implementing people-centred policies is essential to easing the burden on workers and restoring economic stability.
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