AIR Zimbabwe property could be auctioned off after 200 workers won a court battle against the struggling national carrier.
The workers are owed close to US$500,000 in bonuses by the state-owned company from November and December last year.
The High Court last Friday directed the sheriff to proceed and attach Air Zimbabwe’s movable properties at the Harare International Airport and the company’s headquarters.
The airline is believed to have already paid out US$1 million in outstanding bonuses to its workers.
The latest crisis comes as the country’s unity government has formed a ministerial taskforce to work with the airline on a turn-around strategy.
Air Zimbabwe executives say an uncompetitive pricing structure in Zimbabwe’s recession years over the last decade, before the country abandoned its worthless currency, left it virtually broke.
Ageing infrastructure, including old planes, has also contributed to the airline’s troubles.
Following the latest setback at the High Court, Air Zimbabwe’s senior managers were this week trying to get the government to intervene and pay-off the workers to save the company from losing assets.
Transport Minister Nicholas Goche chairs a committee of ministers which also includes Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi and State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo which is looking into the airline's financial problems.