Skills under threat: the case of HIV/AIDS in the mining industry in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The Zimbabwe mining industry is currently battling to arrest further spread of the HIV/AIDS crisis in workplaces especially its impact on labour productivity. Labour in the closed community of mines has been greatly susceptible to HIV/AIDS infection. The current AIDS incidence in the mine sites is estimated at a weighted average of 15 per cent amongst miners with the largest category of workers--the 30--39 years age group--also constituting the worst affected category. Given the current state of the countrys economy and consequently its adverse impact on the lifestyle of miners the pandemic is expected to increase. This paper builds on the work of the ILO (1995) involving a survey of 18 various firms/ institutions. The survey was carried out in Zambia in order to assess the impact of HIV/AIDS on the productive labour force. The survey revealed that many of the firms are experiencing irregular work attendance wasted training as some of the trained workers are constantly ill or die high medical bills funeral costs and reduced productivity and profits. An analysis of data on the main causes of death in 1993 shows that at least 61.8 per cent of deaths could be attributed to causes that are very closely related to HIV/AIDS complications. Based on points highlighted by respondents and analysis of symptoms suffered it was observed that HIV/ AIDS tended to affect most general workers (36.8 per cent) followed by the lower management (30.9 per cent) and the middle management (20.6 per cent). Comparatively 11.8 per cent of the deaths in 1993 belonged to the top management. Although it is hard to appreciate the meaning of the figures without knowledge of the number of people in each category it nevertheless helps to form a clear picture of the impact of HIV/AIDS on industry. This paper seeks to further investigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on the productive labour force by focusing on one particular industry--mining--using a blend of research methods to collect the data. This paper examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the productive labour force and management responses. It forms part of the findings of data gathered in 2001 in the mining industry in Zimbabwe to examine factors affecting management responses to HIV/AIDS in the mine sites. (authors)