John Nkomo's company ordered to pay workers over $18,000

THE late Vice-President John Landa Nkomo's firm, Astra Building Centre, has been ordered by the court to pay its 10 employees over $18 200 in outstanding salaries following the registration of an arbitral award.

Jeshuwa Zvinavashe and nine other workers won an $18 221,30 arbitration award and through their lawyers from Samp Mlaudzi and Partners, had filed the application for the registration of the arbitral award on October 19 last year.

High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi endorsed and granted the order.

"It is ordered that the application for registration of the Labour Court order dated February 12 2015 be and is hereby granted in the amount of an $18 221,30," Justice Mathonsi ruled.

"The respondent (Astra Building Centre) be and is hereby ordered to pay the above stated amount in four instalments of $9 000 payable on or before March 31, 2017. The balance shall be paid per month from April 10 2017 in the amount of $3 000 ending on or before the June 30, 2017 with a payment $3 221,30."

The court also ordered the firm to pay interest at the rate of 5%, adding that the said interest shall be calculated from May 31, 2015 to date of full and final payment.

"In the event of any default of any of the above stated terms of the order. It be and is hereby ordered that the whole amount shall become due and payable with a writ of execution issuable from this honourable court," the court ruled.

"The respondent pays costs of suit in the amount of $3 500. The said amount is to be paid in two instalments of $1 500 on or before March 31, 2017 with the balance of $2 000 payable on or before April 15, 2017."

In his founding affidavit, Zvinavashe submitted that in November 2012, an arbitrator, identified as T Zhou issued an arbitral award in favour of 34 employees.

Zvinavashe, however, indicated that the application for registration of the award only involved 10 of the workers, as he was not aware if the other employees had been paid their dues.