Mining skills exodus hit Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE's mining sector has lost more than half of its skilled personnel in the last year with workers being lured abroad by the chance of boosting their pay more than ten-fold, the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines has confirmed.
 
In a study which the chamber carried out recently, it was established that there are now 1 116 vacancies for professional and technical staff in Zimbabwe’s mines following the departure of workers, mainly to neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Mozambique.

“The study has revealed that the industry has lost more than half of its skilled personnel to the region and beyond. The flight continues as we speak with South African companies collecting artisans and machine operators by the bus load from organisations in Zimbabwe.

“Mines and other organisations are helpless in the matter because they can not match what these skills are being offered outside Zimbabwe,” said Jack Murehwa president of the Chamber of Mines.
 
Zimbabwe's mines, which produce gold, palladium, chrome, platinum and diamonds among other minerals, earned the country US$849-million up from US$702-million in 2006, according to central bank figures.
 
However problems over power supply and a dearth of foreign currency are beginning to bite in the inflation-ravaged country, with production of  gold falling by more than a third last year.
 
Murehwa said the industry's future looked bleak in the light of the skills flight, electricity shortages and government plans to force foreign-owned mines to cede transfer majority shares to indigenous blacks.
 
Meanwhile, the government has shelved planned legislation on mine ownership, choosing to bring back the issue after next month’s harmonized elections, if President Robert Mugabe wins a new term.