News / National
Nyarota takes Daily News to the cleaners as he wins his $364k court case
26 Aug 2011 at 13:25hrs | Views
Daily News founding Editor-in-Chief, Geoffrey Nyarota, has won the case in which he was suing Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), the newspaper's publishers, for unlawful termination of his employment contract in May 2010, NewsDay has revealed.
Nyarota approached the court in February this year against ANZ, demanding $364 000 in backpay and damages.
The newspaper was re-licensed on May 26, along with NewsDay and other newspapers. The following day, ANZ summarily terminated Nyarota's employment.
However, Nyarota challenged ANZ's decision against him at the Labour Tribunal. In his ruling, the arbitrator John Mawire said contrary to ANZ's claims, the parties had entered into a one-year contract of employment, but the contract was unlawfully terminated.
He further stated that ANZ had denied Nyarota an opportunity to defend himself against any allegations before terminating his employment, which was against the country's labour laws.
The arbitrator said ANZ agreed to relocate Nyarota from Boston to Botswana, and eventually to Harare "to tell it like it is from here" adding "the company was convinced that Nyarota would win back its clients and revive the Daily News to dizzy heights".
"The respondent (ANZ) could indeed not be faulted for thinking so, as before he left the Daily News in 2003, the claimant (Nyarota) had undoubtedly imprinted an indelible mark on the domestic and international media terrain," read part of the judgment.
The arbitrator said in analysing submissions from both parties, "the claimant (Nyarota) did not strike the tribunal as someone who was dishonest and unreliable".
Nyarota approached the court in February this year against ANZ, demanding $364 000 in backpay and damages.
The newspaper was re-licensed on May 26, along with NewsDay and other newspapers. The following day, ANZ summarily terminated Nyarota's employment.
However, Nyarota challenged ANZ's decision against him at the Labour Tribunal. In his ruling, the arbitrator John Mawire said contrary to ANZ's claims, the parties had entered into a one-year contract of employment, but the contract was unlawfully terminated.
The arbitrator said ANZ agreed to relocate Nyarota from Boston to Botswana, and eventually to Harare "to tell it like it is from here" adding "the company was convinced that Nyarota would win back its clients and revive the Daily News to dizzy heights".
"The respondent (ANZ) could indeed not be faulted for thinking so, as before he left the Daily News in 2003, the claimant (Nyarota) had undoubtedly imprinted an indelible mark on the domestic and international media terrain," read part of the judgment.
The arbitrator said in analysing submissions from both parties, "the claimant (Nyarota) did not strike the tribunal as someone who was dishonest and unreliable".
Source - Sapa
