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Harare Bureau
The National Railways of Zimbabwe sacked 68 students who were on apprenticeship at the firm using the Supreme Court ruling that upholds an employer’s right to fire workers on three months’ notice without benefits.
The apprentices were given letters last Tuesday, three weeks into the apprenticeship programme.
Earlier this month NRZ became one of the first parastatals to use the Supreme Court ruling to lay off 500 employees.
It is reported that NRZ is targeting to fire 1,500 by the end of the exercise.
“We were not given any explanation at all. They just asked us out of class and Training Centre premises. I believe we have the right to know why they made us leave school and other commitments by deploying us when they cannot sustain us,” quizzed one of the apprentices.
Another one said it was not fair for the institution to sack them because some of them had quit their jobs while others had withdrawn from courses they were doing.
“It’s not fair because they have swept the matter under the carpet instead of taking the issue to government.
“If we had remained on our jobs, we would have raised money to go to universities,” he said.
The letters they were served read: “This serves to confirm the advice given to you by the training manager on July 31, 2015 to the effect that your contract of employment was terminated in terms of the common law as well as the Labour Act 28:0. The termination of contract was on a 90 days’ notice and notice period took effect from August 1, 2015.
“However, in lieu of the notice period, you shall be paid the equivalent of three months’ salary, which shall be deposited into your bank account.
“In view of the payment in lieu of notice, the withdrawal of your training contract is with immediate effect from August 1, 2015.”
The letter also advised the apprentices to surrender all NRZ property and to vacate its accommodation facilities.
Efforts to contact NRZ acting general manager Lewis Mkwada and spokesperson Fanuel Masikati, were fruitless but early this month NRZ board chairman Engineer Alvord Mabena, confirmed that the parastatal was in the process of retrenching.
He, however, said the laying off of workers was not based on the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Obert Mpofu, said he could not comment on “operational issues”.
“These are operational issues, I cannot interfere,” he said.
Online Reporter