Following a recent court ruling on the dismissal of employees by companies, the Bulawayo’s Old People have suffered a blow as their vegetables were stolen this week by suspected unemployed youths who have been suddenly laid off work.

According to the Luveve Old people’s Community Nutritional Garden secretary, Mrs Betty Sibanda, their rich assortment of vegetables has been wholly uprooted by thieves during the night, leaving them with only about 7 % of their total plot produce.This happened soon after court ruling.
Most of the youths were fired by their employers in the nearby Kelvin and Belmont industrial factories. These youths have since resorted to theft and robbery and have left residents stuck in fear of the attackers now described as “deadly” .
“We have been left with nothing by thieves, who invaded our garden project and stole almost all our intended market produce. We have been forced to replant after this disaster. This all happened after the court ruling on employment, and several people have been retrenched.” she said shaking her head in anger.
Michael Ndlovu, whose section was also left with only three onion plants, blamed the government for allowing such a law to pass, causing the rise of theft and robberies in the once quiet environment of Luveve,” he said.
Pictures taken by ZimEye.com, in the community garden said it all, as the old farmers have been left to restart their season in a sad re-return.
The nutritional gardens have been a successful courtesy of a local trust and Australian partners in their efforts to reduce poverty among the poor urban dwellers.
The labour ruling that was exposed by Movement for Democratic Change legislator, Nelson Chamisa, has been a talk of Zimbabwe, as it has caused chaos in the worker-circles.
Many Zimbabwean companies have resorted to abusing their workers, and threaten them with dismissal if they refuse to receive paltry salaries.