adminLovemore Meya Herald Correspondent
There was drama at Chitungwiza Council offices yesterday when fired Chamber Secretary Ms Priscilla Vengesai, stormed council offices demanding to report for duty, arguing that she had not been handed the judgment on her disciplinary case and a dismissal letter.
Ms Vengesai had to be force-marched off the premises by a group of municipal police officers after a standing dispute that later saw council bosses locking her former office to avoid more disturbances.
The scuffle forced council bosses to ask all those who occupied Ms Vengesai’s office to take their computers and work in other departments. Those working with public relations officer, Mr Zaphania Mandirahwe, were sent home.
This follows skirmishes that occurred last Wednesday when Ms Vengesai reported for duty arguing that by virtue of law, she was still employed by council.
Ms Vengesai was fired on Monday after she was found guilty on charges of conducting herself inconsistently with the conditions of her contract.
She argued: “I had to report for work after Town Clerk (Mr George Makunde) failed to hand me my judgment or even my dismissal letter. The problem is I am reading of it in the newspapers on which the Local Board has not yet approved.
“Why do they have to rush to dismiss me after the arbitrator did not turn up on September 8 to hand me my judgment? When she failed to turn up, she referred me to the Human Resource department and I told her that this was a third party, who would not hand me the papers.
“I had to write the municipality a letter through their lawyer advising them that 14 days have lapsed where they were supposed to give a judgment. After that, I told them that I was coming to work and finalise my papers while I am working.”
Ms Vengesai argued that she had a job to protect and if she was not on duty, she would not be allowed to work somewhere else, unless dismissed.
She said after giving council 48 hours to resolve the issue, she had to report for work on Monday and yesterday (Wednesday).
Mr Makunde said in an interview that there was a procedure to be followed when an employee is dismissed.
“She was fired after a council decision was made. We wrote to the Local Government Board advising them of our decision to dismiss the Chamber Secretary. Now we are awaiting a response from the same board, if it is going to approve or disapprove. Her argument that she was not handed her judgment is a lie because we gave it to her representative Mr Ephraim Katsina. But if she wants us to give her outside the Urban Council’s Act, we can,” said Mr Makunde.
Mr Makunde agreed that Ms Vengesai had to be force marched out of council premises since she was still on suspension.
Online Reporter