Trade unionist ordered to return NEC vehicle

Herald Reporter

A FORMER councillor with the National Employment Council (NEC) for Engineering Iron and Steel Industry Mr Wise Garira, who was holding on to the council’s vehicle has been ordered to immediately return it to its legitimate owners.

Mr Garira served as a councillor for the employment council on secondment by the National Engineering Workers’ Union (NEWU).

He was secretary-general for NEWU, an affiliate of the NEC for Engineering Iron and Steel Industry.

NEWU dismissed Garira from employment in June last year, a development that resulted in him losing his councillorship with the NEC.

Despite losing the councillorship, Garira did not return an Isuzu KB300 vehicle issued to him during his tenure at the NEC.

Efforts by the NEC leadership to recover the vehicle failed, resulting in the matter spilling into the Harare Magistrates’ Court (Civil Division).

Last week, Harare magistrate Mr Noah Gwatidzo ordered Garira to return the vehicle.

“The respondent is hereby ordered to forthwith surrender a motor vehicle Isuzu KB300 double cab registration number ADY7329 in good condition to the applicant, failing which the Sheriff or his lawful deputy be and is hereby authorised, empowered and directed to enforce and seize the respondent and to surrender the motor vehicle Isuzu KB300 registration number ADY7329 in good condition to the applicant,” reads the order.

The court slapped Garira with an order for costs of suit.

Meanwhile, Garira insists that he is the legitimate secretary-general of NEWU and has several court challenges pending before the courts.

In some of the court applications, Garira, together with his colleague Mr Sherpherd Mashingaidze, use the name NEWU.

However, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the mother body of all trade unions, has since disowned Garira and Mashingaidze.

“Upon making investigations into the matter, we have realised that this purported ‘NEWU’ is bogus and is led by people who have since been dismissed from employment by the union and NEC . . .” reads an affidavit by Mr Michael Mudukuti, the ZCTU national organiser.