Strike threat at leading government newspaper

In related development this week, workers at Zimpapers, publishers of the country's oldest daily, 'The Herald', have threatened to go on strike following reports that the newspaper giant is tottering on the brink of collapse because of alleged mismanagement and corruption.

According to 'The Financial Gazette', some workers at the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed company said this week they would resort to strike action because of corruption and inefficiency at Herald House, the company's headquarters in Harare. It said Matthew Takaona, chairman of the workers' committee at Zimpapers, had written a strongly worded letter to the
newspaper division's managing director Bornwell Chakaodza, who is also the editor of 'The Herald'.

"No amount of assurance could convince workers that the situation will improve following an internal memo which indicates that our bank overdraft is now around $80 million (about US $2.1 million) and we owe large sums of money to the pension fund," he said.