By A Correspondent – Chipinge villagers are challenging Greenfuel to apologise following viral videos of security guards beating helpless female pupils in Chisumbanje.
In a fortnight of rage and outpouring of public anger, the local communities in and around Chisumbanje Ethanol project, bombarded the premises for the Platform for Youth and Community Development to seek decisive action against Greenfuel Pvt for failure to take responsibility over their unrestrained security guards for excoriating vulnerable girls through excessive beating.
The public has also turned to social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to express their anger and disdain.
Despite the fact that the two security guards in question (Makina and Komondeya) were subsequently arrested by Chisumbanje police and later charged by Nixon Mangoti at Chipinge Magistrate Court to undergo 280 hours of community service, the local community feel this is not enough.
Only a public statement from the “stubborn” Green Fuel company will douse their anger.
Mr Claris Madhuku, who is the Director and Team Leader for the Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD), expressed worry that this behaviour by Green Fuel’s security guards was not improving and has been like that for over a decade.
While speaking at a live interview hosted by a local community radio Vemuganga FM 106.8, Mr Madhuku said:
“PYCD has documented the human rights abuses instigated by Green Fuel security guards since 2009 and can confirm that there are over 10 incidences of unpalatable behaviour that has resulted in loss of life, injury and damage of properties due to the unrestrained behaviour of Green Fuel security guards. I vividly remember that in 2016, one of the Green Fuel security guards Borniface Shungwa (47) shot three (3) villagers and killed one (1) on the allegations these villagers stole sugarcane,” Madhuku said.
“For me, it is about the training, orientation and safeguarding issues that must be addressed by Green Fuel,” Madhuku added.
During the community radio live programme, Mr Owen Dhliwayo, who is a communications and media advocate, voiced out that Green Fuel needed to work hard on its public image to respond to the public outcry of this nature. The local community has harboured a perception that Green Fuel was always operating above the law, therefore fears no consequence from the local community.
“By virtue of having a juristic personality, Green Fuel is liable and should be held accountable to the disgraceful action of its personnel, and has to issue a public apology that shows genuine remorse over the incident,” Owen Dhliwayo explained.
Members of the local community, including those in the diaspora, vented their anger through social media to demand action against Green Fuel should there be no issuance of public apology. The public is citing cases of Green Fuel drivers who are involved in accidents with local community members. The company is accused of poor public relations during accidents and altercations with the local community, preferring to abandon their employees to face the wrath of the community alone.
Tonderai Nikisi, a local community member, contributed to the discussion by warning Green Fuel of bigger consequences if there was no apology.
“It is high time something must be done at Green Fuel… uuum this is unfair, we are now back to colonial era. People taking justice into their own hands,” Tonderai wrote.
Through his articles, Artwel Chingwara Sithole of Rimbi village described the behaviour by Green Fuel security guards as “wanton, disgusting and unacceptable.”