City of Harare fires accounting officer

were at least three types of purchases done on behalf of the employer. These were formal purchases where payment would be made 30 days after delivery and urgent or special purchases.
Chayikosa was supposed to keep a proper record of cheques being issued out. On one occasion, an order was placed for the purchase of bitumen. Before the bitumen was delivered, Chayikosa followed up the transaction to ensure that the supplier was paid.
The cheques were collected by Chayikosa on the same day, May 14, 2003 that they were generated.
He facilitated the expeditious cheque payment to the supplier.
However, Chayikosa did not follow the normal procedure of preparing the documents and getting the City Treasurer’s approval before payment.
The supplier, who was also the quarry manager, collected the cheques the following day. Chayikosa was asked to explain his conduct and the receipt of Z$4 million.
His explanation was that there was no wrong doing on his part when the payment of bitumen was made. As for the money that he received, Chayikosa said he had exchanged this money for some the rand.
He was charged with negligence, manifest incompetence and bringing the services of the employer into disrepute. Chayikosa was dismissed and then sought recourse at the Labour Court.
Labour Court president Ms Euna Makamure failed to understand why a third party deposited money with the supplier, only for the supplier to pass it on to Chayikosa.
Ms Makamure said: “The third party should have simply deposited the money into Chayikosa’s account.
“I therefore find the explanation of Chayikosa to be unsatisfactory.”
She noted that the manner in which Chayikosa processed the payment for bitumen was suspicious. Ms Makamure said had there been no procedures to follow, then there would be no reason to find anything improper with Chayikosa’s conduct.
“Had the bitumen been supplied on payment, then prompt payment would not appear to be objectionable.
“Had it been required urgently, then he would have been within his rights to ensure that the appropriate procedures to ensure prompt payment were complied with,” said Ms Makamure.
She found no merit in Chayikosa’s appeal and dismissed it with costs.