The struggling Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has spent about US$10,000 trying to recover US$900 from two of its employees in a case that has angered its employees who have accused the company’s management of neglecting their welfare.
The state broadcaster was trying to recover a motorcycle worth US$800 and 82.49 liters of fuel worth US$143.5326, a total of US$943.5326 from two employees Sebastian Mukono and Tawanda Mandya.
ZBC used a major law firm to take disciplinary action against the duo, and it did
invoice More than $9,000 for legal services.
One staff member, Tawanda Mandya, was acquitted of the crime after a full disciplinary hearing, according to documents seen by this publication.
The ZBC Workers Council wrote a memo dated November 6, 2023 to company executives complaining that the public broadcaster was losing money through legal fees.
Employees wondered why the company preferred external legal services instead of using the internal legal department to solve some problems.
“HR [human resource] The memorandum stated: “Companies’ management should carry out their responsibilities seriously so that the company does not lose its revenues in these cases.”
“When we look at simple logic without delving into the merits of the case, how can we recover lost property without resorting to an outside lawyer?
How will ZBC recover the $9,000? Which went to waste?
“How much does the company lose through these questionable legal shenanigans? What is the purpose of the Legal and HR department at ZBC then?
This publication has heard that the public broadcaster has appealed against an employee’s acquittal using the legal services of the same law firm, but staff said this contravened Section 20 of the ZBC’s code of conduct.
“The Disciplinary Committee represents HR or the company (ZBC), which means that the ruling of the Disciplinary Committee cannot be appealed by the company.
“It’s as if the company is appealing against itself,” a source inside ZBC said.
“It gives the aggrieved employee the opportunity to appeal to HR if the employee is not satisfied with the results of the disciplinary hearing.
“Section 20.13 of the ZBC Code of Conduct allows both parties to appeal to the Labor Officer if one party is not satisfied with the outcome of the Appeals Panel.”
ZBC workers and management led by Adlaide Chikunguru were at each other’s throats for a while
Two weeks ago, workers wrote to the newly appointed board led by Hilit Rashwaya threatening employment action over poor salaries and working conditions.
July And its management Last week I wrote to this magazine demanding that the story that exposed the infighting be retracted.
Through their lawyer, Lawyer Moshuriwa Bassey, ZBC executives said claims by company workers that they were frustrating efforts to improve their working conditions were false and defamatory.
Chikunguru could not be reached for comment yesterday despite repeated efforts to contact her on her mobile phone. standard
