admin
George Maponga in Masvingo
Masvingo City Council is not going back on its decision to sack former city engineer Tawanda Gozo.
Gozo was dismissed from the local authority in 2021 for gross incompetence but he has been fighting to be reinstated, arguing that his sacking was illegal.
His lawyers recently wrote to the council instructing it to reinstate him. Even the Local Government Board backed Gozo’s return to his position in council but his attempt to get back to work last week at the Civic Centre was fiercely resisted by council which has since barred him from coming to work.
Masvingo mayor Councillor Alec Tabe insists that Gozo remains fired, charging that the Local Government Board and his legal counsels have no power to reinstate him.
“The employer is Masvingo City Council and we have a standing resolution that paved the way for his dismissal and nothing has changed,” said Councillor Tabe.
“The board (Local Government Board) and Gozo’s lawyers have no power to allow him to return to work because the council is the one that employed him and decided to dismiss him. “He remains barred from reporting to council offices for work but of course, he can go there to pay his water bills.”
Gozo was unceremoniously fired from his position in 2021 after crippling water shortages blighted the ancient city and a panel set up to investigate his suitability for office found him culpable for gross incompetence that was blamed for the water woes.
Online Reporter