ZIMPLATS BEGINS RETRENCHMENTS AS ZIMBABWE’S ECONOMY FALLS APART

Zimplats Holdings Ltd, one of Zimbabwe’s biggest platinum mining companies, has announced that it is starting voluntary retrenchments. This move shows just how deep Zimbabwe’s economic crisis has become. Zimplats is not just any company—it’s a major pillar of the mining industry. If a giant like Zimplats is cutting jobs, it means the economic situation is beyond alarming.

Zimbabwe’s economy has been falling for years, but now we are seeing the effects hit even the most stable industries. Zimplats is beginning with voluntary retrenchments. This means workers can choose to leave and still get some benefits. But make no mistake—if not enough workers accept this offer, forced retrenchments are next. Workers will be kicked out whether they like it or not. This is not a matter of “if” anymore. It is “when.”

Zimplats CEO Alex Mhembere admitted the company is under serious pressure. He said that even though they are trying to cut costs and save cash, things are still very hard. “The company’s situation remains difficult,” he said. That means the business environment in Zimbabwe has become too hostile—even for companies as big as Zimplats.

Let’s be clear: this is not just about Zimplats. This is about what Zanu PF has done to Zimbabwe. Under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime, inflation has gone through the roof. The ZiG currency is a disaster, and the country is choking on corruption. While powerful elites steal billions through fake tenders, shady gold deals, and looted land, ordinary workers are losing their jobs. It’s the same story over and over: the people suffer while the top enjoy.

Zimplats is a major player in Zimbabwe’s economy. It mines platinum and other important minerals like nickel, copper, cobalt, silver, and even gold. It has huge operations in Ngezi, Selous, and the Great Dyke. It contributes millions to the national economy. If Zimplats is struggling, then the whole economy is on its knees.

These retrenchments also show how little care this regime has for working Zimbabweans. Instead of fixing the economy, they are busy throwing money at luxury villas for SADC summits and helicopters for the president’s family. They announce new holidays and build statues while the country burns. Meanwhile, workers are being told to pack their bags and go home.

The same regime that collapsed agriculture is now crushing mining. It destroyed the manufacturing sector and is now draining the lifeblood of the economy—mining. Thousands of families depend on jobs at companies like Zimplats. What are they supposed to do now?

Zimplats is offering voluntary packages to avoid forced retrenchments. But what choice do workers have? They know things are bad. They know the next step is compulsory layoffs. They are being pushed to leave quietly to save the company from the shame of firing them. It’s a slow and painful purge of workers.

And what is the government doing? Nothing. No plan. No support for affected workers. No policies to help industries survive. Instead, they’re arresting activists, blocking protests, and pushing propaganda. Their only solution is to silence the people while the economy dies.

This moment should be a wake-up call. If Zimplats can fall into retrenchments, then no job is safe in Zimbabwe. This government is not capable of fixing anything. It is only capable of destruction and self-enrichment.

The workers at Zimplats are not just numbers. They are breadwinners, parents, and young people trying to build a future. But under Mnangagwa’s government, the future is being stolen—one retrenchment letter at a time.

Until Zimbabwe is led by people who care about development, stability, and justice, companies like Zimplats will keep shrinking, workers will keep suffering, and the country will keep sinking. The choice is clear: this system must fall. The looters must go. And the people must rise.