News / National
ZIMTA bosses in massive corruption storm
12 Nov 2021 at 05:30hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) top leadership has been dragged to court after failing to furnish members with audited financial records amid suspicions that subscription fees running into millions could have been embezzled.
According to a court application filed at the Bulawayo High Court by Tendeukai Mukurunge and Albert Mukando, the top union leadership has been too reluctant to furnish them with a statement of audited financials as constitutionally guaranteed.
"Sometime in November of 2020, I drafted a petition to Zimta Leadership and circulated it for signing by members in all provinces which amongst other things, demanded the release of audited accounts for member's contributions due and proper account of member's contributions for various financial schemes managed by ZIMTA," the court papers say.
"To date, the respondent has failed, neglected or refused to answer our queries as set out in the petition of November 2020," the papers read.
The applicants said they were distressed with the fact that the Zimta leadership was running the organisation with "seemingly no accountability nor oversight" as to how finances were managed.
"Once again, we insisted and demanded that ZIMTA release the full audited financial accounts of the Association; and once again, our request was ignored except from a cursory phone call from the General Secretary's office requesting our EC numbers and membership status," the court papers said.
However, in an opposing affidavit, Zimta's chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu said the conference could not be held last year due to the Covid19 containment restrictions measures which also affected holding the conference this year (2021).
He said the second reason which delayed convening the conference was financial as subscriptions could not meet the expenses of all structural meetings which are a precursor to the National Conference in line with the constitution.
"As a result of the past economic challenges of dual currencies, inflation and several changes in the monetary policies, it became necessary to provide extracts as the audits are not in accordance with the International Accounting Standards, that however does not mean audits were not done," said Ndlou in the papers.
Zimta argued that the petition filed by the applicants in the matter had no delivery address and some of the individuals named thereon were not members of the association.
"Respondent has all copies and all audits are shared with Provincial delegates at the National Conference whose average attendance is 200 delegates. The telephone call and the requested details were necessary to have the same verified as respondent is a member's organisation for subscribed members only and they cannot just entertain anyone," added Zimta
According to a court application filed at the Bulawayo High Court by Tendeukai Mukurunge and Albert Mukando, the top union leadership has been too reluctant to furnish them with a statement of audited financials as constitutionally guaranteed.
"Sometime in November of 2020, I drafted a petition to Zimta Leadership and circulated it for signing by members in all provinces which amongst other things, demanded the release of audited accounts for member's contributions due and proper account of member's contributions for various financial schemes managed by ZIMTA," the court papers say.
"To date, the respondent has failed, neglected or refused to answer our queries as set out in the petition of November 2020," the papers read.
The applicants said they were distressed with the fact that the Zimta leadership was running the organisation with "seemingly no accountability nor oversight" as to how finances were managed.
However, in an opposing affidavit, Zimta's chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu said the conference could not be held last year due to the Covid19 containment restrictions measures which also affected holding the conference this year (2021).
He said the second reason which delayed convening the conference was financial as subscriptions could not meet the expenses of all structural meetings which are a precursor to the National Conference in line with the constitution.
"As a result of the past economic challenges of dual currencies, inflation and several changes in the monetary policies, it became necessary to provide extracts as the audits are not in accordance with the International Accounting Standards, that however does not mean audits were not done," said Ndlou in the papers.
Zimta argued that the petition filed by the applicants in the matter had no delivery address and some of the individuals named thereon were not members of the association.
"Respondent has all copies and all audits are shared with Provincial delegates at the National Conference whose average attendance is 200 delegates. The telephone call and the requested details were necessary to have the same verified as respondent is a member's organisation for subscribed members only and they cannot just entertain anyone," added Zimta
Source - NewZimbabwe
