News / National
Provincial Administrator sucked in REA corruption scandal
21 Sep 2015 at 09:35hrs | Views
Manicaland Provincial Administrator, Fungai Mbetsa, has been sucked in a corruption scandal at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) where the parastatal is allegedly terminating workers' contracts on notice and replacing them with their relatives.
Mbetsa, who is a REA board member, is alleged to have replaced the Manicaland accounts clerk, Peace Chakona, with his daughter Rutendo in what National Energy Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (NEWUZ) Secretary General, Thomas Masvingwe, described as victimization of trade union activists and leaders.
"We are perturbed as a union in realizing that the energy sector, particularly REA and ZESA, are abusing the right to terminate employees to target trade unionists, including trade union members.
They have gone to the extent of abandoning disciplinary hearings in favor of terminations under the so called common law," Masvingwe said.
He said it was disturbing that all the activists who had been fired were being replaced by relatives of managers, including their family members.
The union was currently investigating cases where management had hired their relatives to replace those who had been fired on notice.
"We believe that the Board of Directors, particularly at REA and ZESA are acting in complicit with management in not only unfair but also very corrupt enterprise. The union is concerned that management continues to predate workers when the worker management ratio continues to rise.
"The two institutions have a ratio as high as 1:15, which means that there is a manager for every 15 employees," he said.
Masvingwe revealed that they had information that a list of more than 1000 workers targeted for termination of contracts, the majority of who were union members, was being compiled.
He said while ordinary workers were being terminated, managers who were well past their retirement age continued to have their contracts renewed.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Secretary General, Japhet Moyo described the development as unfortunate, saying they had received numerous reports of employers targeting trade unionists.
'This development vindicates the fears that we raised when this judgment was issued. As labour we say allowing the employer to terminate contracts without any meaningful reason makes employees' vulnerable and prone to victimization. Even female employees' who may have turned down sexual advances from their superiors risk getting their contracts terminated.'
'The fact that the contracts were terminated and then replaced by those who are related to senior management staff members means that the terminations were not based on economic realities such as reducing costs or restructuring exercises. This law will be used to oppress workers' he said.
Mbetsa could not be immediately reached for comment as his mobile phone was not available.
REA Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Joshua Mashamba, requested questions in writing, but at the time of going to print, he had not responded.
ZETDC Human Resources Director, Trust Chendume, could neither confirm nor deny the developments and referred all comments to ZESA Holdings spokesperson, Fullard Gwasira.
Mbetsa, who is a REA board member, is alleged to have replaced the Manicaland accounts clerk, Peace Chakona, with his daughter Rutendo in what National Energy Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (NEWUZ) Secretary General, Thomas Masvingwe, described as victimization of trade union activists and leaders.
"We are perturbed as a union in realizing that the energy sector, particularly REA and ZESA, are abusing the right to terminate employees to target trade unionists, including trade union members.
They have gone to the extent of abandoning disciplinary hearings in favor of terminations under the so called common law," Masvingwe said.
He said it was disturbing that all the activists who had been fired were being replaced by relatives of managers, including their family members.
The union was currently investigating cases where management had hired their relatives to replace those who had been fired on notice.
"We believe that the Board of Directors, particularly at REA and ZESA are acting in complicit with management in not only unfair but also very corrupt enterprise. The union is concerned that management continues to predate workers when the worker management ratio continues to rise.
"The two institutions have a ratio as high as 1:15, which means that there is a manager for every 15 employees," he said.
He said while ordinary workers were being terminated, managers who were well past their retirement age continued to have their contracts renewed.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Secretary General, Japhet Moyo described the development as unfortunate, saying they had received numerous reports of employers targeting trade unionists.
'This development vindicates the fears that we raised when this judgment was issued. As labour we say allowing the employer to terminate contracts without any meaningful reason makes employees' vulnerable and prone to victimization. Even female employees' who may have turned down sexual advances from their superiors risk getting their contracts terminated.'
'The fact that the contracts were terminated and then replaced by those who are related to senior management staff members means that the terminations were not based on economic realities such as reducing costs or restructuring exercises. This law will be used to oppress workers' he said.
Mbetsa could not be immediately reached for comment as his mobile phone was not available.
REA Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Joshua Mashamba, requested questions in writing, but at the time of going to print, he had not responded.
ZETDC Human Resources Director, Trust Chendume, could neither confirm nor deny the developments and referred all comments to ZESA Holdings spokesperson, Fullard Gwasira.
Source - The Worker.
