Chinhoyi council axes 124

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
CHINHOYI Municipality has sacked 124 workers with some of the employees getting their dismissal letters by midnight last Thursday.

Workers said they were shocked to receive termination of employment letters just after midnight from messengers.

Among those given termination letters were housing director Mr Timothy Maregere and deputy director of health services Mr William Mayabo.

Also affected was the finance director Mr Tonderai Mukosa, who was in the eye of a storm after he failed to disclose to council that he once served a two-year jail term for fraud.

Council indicated that the termination of employment was done in terms of Section 12 (4) of the Labour Act.

Read one of the letters: “This letter serves to inform you that council has decided to terminate your employment contract on notice.

“This is not a dismissal, but rather the exercise of our right under the common law which allows either party to terminate the employment contract on notice.”

Chinhoyi Mayor Mr Test Michaels said council passed the resolution to dismiss the workers at a strategic workshop in 2014. “We must lay off people because we agreed at a strategic planning workshop that we have to downsize to ensure viability,” said Mr Michaels.

He said council intended to lay off people in January, but had failed to raise money to fund retrenchments.

Mr Michaels said council was failing to generate $381 000 monthly for salaries.

He said the dismissals would ensure council saves $100 000 a month to be channelled towards service delivery.

Council collects between $340 000 and $350 000 monthly.

It has 384 workers and argues 250 are enough. Mr Michaels said council had now complied with salary caps for management as directed by Government.

A worker who preferred anonymity said council was heartless.

Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Councils Union head Mr Bernard Dhanda castigated council for sacking the workers.

“This is a sad development because it is targeting those who were prepared to endure the debilitating effects of sanctions when the easiest thing would have been to leave for greener pastures,” he said.

An estimated 20 000 workers have reportedly lost their jobs countrywide since the Supreme Court ruling allowing employers to dismiss employees on three months’ notice.