Drivers Cry Foul: Inhumane Conditions at Tongaat Hulett Triangle Raise Alarm

By Chiyedzo Josiah Dimbo

Triangle, Chiredzi: Drivers ferrying sugarcane from farms across Chiredzi to the Tongaat Hulett Triangle sugar mill are crying foul over inhumane working conditions, accusing the sugar giant of neglect and gross disregard for the welfare of transport workers.

According to multiple drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity, they are being treated as second-class citizens, despite playing a vital role in Zimbabwe’s sugar value chain. Drivers reported being forced to spend days in queues without toilets, clean water, or shaded areas, exposing them to health risks such as cholera, typhoid, and dehydration.

> “We are not animals. Why should we go for days without ablution facilities? Why are they happy when they see us queuing like this?” asked one frustrated driver.

No Basic Sanitation or Water

At the time of writing, drivers continue to rely on surrounding bushes to relieve themselves due to the lack of any sanitation facilities. No mobile toilets have been provided, and there is no access to running water outside the plant, despite the scorching Lowveld heat.

> “Is it so difficult for them to bring mobile toilets or bowsers for water? They only care about their profit margins,” another driver lamented.

Delays Cost Farmers Too

It’s not just the drivers who are affected. Farmers have also raised concerns over delays in offloading. When sugarcane sits in the heat for extended periods, its weight and quality drop—leading to financial losses for farmers, many of whom are already operating under thin margins.

Sugar Price Concerns

Ironically, even as production occurs just a kilometre away, locals are paying heavily for sugar. A 2kg packet of brown or white sugar costs $3.00 at Pick n Pay in Triangle, compared to $2.60 in Chiredzi—a pricing discrepancy that leaves consumers baffled and frustrated.

Calls for Government Intervention

Workers and farmers alike are now calling for urgent government intervention. They have appealed directly to His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to investigate Tongaat Hulett’s practices and to promote competition in the sugar industry to dismantle what many describe as an exploitative monopoly.

>”We need more players in the sugar sector. Right now, this monopoly is killing us,” one farmer said.

The voices from Chiredzi are clear: respect, dignity, and fair treatment must become standard for all those contributing to Zimbabwe’s vital sugar industry.