By Delicious Mathuthu
Gweru City Council has summoned its four suspended “Sewer Deaths Protest” employees to defend themselves in a disciplinary hearing set for the 29th of November 2024 at the Municipal offices.
The disciplinary hearing comes as the local authority, through the Director of Engineering, Eng. Masauso Store, accuses the quartet of insulting, making malicious utterances against council management with the intention of causing violence during the funeral of two council employees who died after inhaling toxic gas in a sewer manhole.
In a letter seen by this publication written to one of the suspended employees, copied to the City’s Human Resources Manager Joseph Zimusi, the City’s Acting Chamber Secretary Tapiwa Marerwa said the employees should bring their legal counsel, worker representatives, witnesses or documents to defend themselves against the charges.
“You are hereby advised that the disciplinary hearing between City of Gweru and yourself will be held on Friday 29 November 2024, in the Committee Room, Municipal Offices, Civic Centre at 1430 hours in the afternoon,” the letter reads.
“You are free to bring with you a legal representative, worker representatives, witness(es) and or documents to your defense.
“You are also further advised that the hearing will proceed even if you fail to attend.”
The hearings come after the four were suspended indefinitely without pay on the 13th of November 2024 following protests during the funeral and burial of two council employees, Richard Longwe and Mary Svinurai, who died on the 6th of November 2024 in a sewer manhole in Athlone suburb, Gweru, after inhaling toxic gas.
The City Human Resources Manager, Zimusi, had to be escorted off Mkoba 9 cemetery by Municipal Police as a precaution as tempers were high after the burial of Svinurai.
During her burial, multitudes of relatives, residents and council employees accompanied the body with placards demanding that the local authority prioritises the health, safety and welfare of its workers.
A few of the messages on the placards on the need for safety of council employees read: “Tikapusa tese vashandi tinopera #WorkersRights Matter”, “Kushaya mask zvayo ndichipinda mu manhole” and “Workers Safety NO Compromise”.
The workers were also demanding their salaries as some were now in their second month without pay.
They also demanded their 2015 promised residential stands in the yet to be developed Mkoba 21 suburb, which they have not been given to date.
Workers’ committee representatives and fellow employees said the two died due to lack of proper protective clothing and safety procedures.
The employees entered the manhole without checking gas toxicity levels in the manhole and without respirators to protect themselves.
According to Engineer Masauso Store, the suspended employees insulted and made malicious utterances against the council management, intending to incite violence and cause despondency.
The employees, identified as Olivia Masunda, Silas Mutendeudzwa one Ngazimbi and Ivony, stand accused of also making false statements about the council and its management on social media and during the funeral.
The suspension conditions included them not reporting for duty, entering council premises, or acting on behalf of the council during the suspension period.
The employees were also required to surrender any council documents or assets in their possession.
