News / National
Guard fired for being HIV positive
3 hrs ago | Views
A Bulawayo widow has been left humiliated and jobless after Seasec Security Company allegedly forced her to prove she was HIV positive before firing her for attending a routine medical review.
The 40-year-old woman, who resides in Entumbane, had gone to a clinic in Gokwe for a scheduled HIV check-up - an absence she says had been approved by her employer. However, upon her return, she was stunned to receive a demand for written proof of her HIV status. The directive reportedly came from the company's Bulawayo secretary, Precious Mambewu.
Despite complying with the invasive request, the woman was still dismissed from her job - a move that has sparked widespread outrage and prompted the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to intervene.
ZHRC chairperson Jessie Majome, speaking from Gambia where she is attending the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, strongly condemned the alleged actions of the security firm. She described the case as a blatant and outrageous violation of constitutional rights.
Majome said the company's conduct, if confirmed, breaches several key provisions of Zimbabwe's Constitution, including the right to dignity, equality, protection from inhuman treatment, privacy, fair labour practices, and access to basic healthcare services. She added that such treatment of an employee on the basis of their health status is unconstitutional and intolerable.
"The ZHRC will therefore investigate this issue with the aim of fulfilling its mandate of promoting, enforcing, and seeking redress for human rights violations," she said.
As calls for accountability grow louder, Seasec Security Company has yet to respond to the allegations. Their continued silence is only fuelling public anger, with many calling for disciplinary action against those responsible.
The case has reignited debates around discrimination in the workplace, particularly against individuals living with HIV, and has put a spotlight on the urgent need for stronger protections for vulnerable employees in Zimbabwe.
The 40-year-old woman, who resides in Entumbane, had gone to a clinic in Gokwe for a scheduled HIV check-up - an absence she says had been approved by her employer. However, upon her return, she was stunned to receive a demand for written proof of her HIV status. The directive reportedly came from the company's Bulawayo secretary, Precious Mambewu.
Despite complying with the invasive request, the woman was still dismissed from her job - a move that has sparked widespread outrage and prompted the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to intervene.
ZHRC chairperson Jessie Majome, speaking from Gambia where she is attending the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, strongly condemned the alleged actions of the security firm. She described the case as a blatant and outrageous violation of constitutional rights.
"The ZHRC will therefore investigate this issue with the aim of fulfilling its mandate of promoting, enforcing, and seeking redress for human rights violations," she said.
As calls for accountability grow louder, Seasec Security Company has yet to respond to the allegations. Their continued silence is only fuelling public anger, with many calling for disciplinary action against those responsible.
The case has reignited debates around discrimination in the workplace, particularly against individuals living with HIV, and has put a spotlight on the urgent need for stronger protections for vulnerable employees in Zimbabwe.
Source - the chronicle
