Four Suspended Over Gweru City Sewer Deaths Protests
By Delicious Mathuthu
Gweru City Council has suspended at least four employees over the sewer toxic gas deaths protest on Sunday during the burial of one of the deceased victims at Mkoba 9 cemetery.
The four have been suspended indefinitely without pay or benefits.
In one of the suspension letters seen by this publication to one of the suspended, written on the 13th of November 2024 just two days after the protest burial, Gweru City Engineer, Masauso Store, said the concerned workers insulted and made malicious utterances against the Gweru City Management, intending to incite violence and cause dispondency.
“This letter serves to inform you that you are hereby suspended from all your duties… with effect from 13th November 2024 without pay and benefits.
“Your suspension is in terms of Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006 section 4 (a) as read together with other applicable disciplinary legislation,” it reads in part.
Section 4 (a) of the 2006 Statutory Instrument 15, titled the ‘Labour National Employment Code of Conduct, Regs 2006’, reads:
“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has, in terms of section 101(9) of the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01] made the following regulations.
“An employee commits a serious misconduct if he or she commits any of the following offences.
“Any act of conduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfilment of the express or implied conditions of his or her contract.”
Eng. Store said the workers attempted to incite fellow workers through social media, and lied about Council.
“The grounds and reasons of your suspension are not limited to; You made several utterances on a WhatsApp group, which referred to and/or were directed to your superiors, that is the Management of City of Gweru which were malicious, insulted their person and character with the aim of inciting violence, ridicule and/or causing despondency amongst Council employees,” reads the letter.
He said on the 10th of November 2024, during the course of the funeral of the late Richard Longwe and Mary Svinurai, the accused worker continued to utter insulting words towards the City of Gweru and its Management, in front of the Residents and other Stakeholders.
On the same burial date, Eng. Store said, the accused continually communicated false information about Council and its Management, with the aim of inciting violence, ridicule and/or causing despondency amongst
Council employees.
The four have been identified as Olivia Masunda, Silas Mutendeudzwa, one only identified as Ngazimbi and one Ivony.
The conditions of the suspensions, pending disciplinary hearings, include: “suspension without pay and benefits.
“… not be allowed to report on duty, enter any Council premises and act or purport to act on behalf of Council during the period of your suspension.
“You are required to surrender any Council documents or assets in your possession to your supervisor.”
Eng. Store said any violation of the conditions shall be taken as an offense which they will be further charged and made accountable to.
The two employees at the centre of the ongoing drama died on Wednesday last week (6 November) after entering a sewer manhole without protective clothing and following due procedure.
Resultantly inhaled toxic sewer gases which ended their lives.
On Sunday, November 10, out of frustration and anger, employees took advantage of the burial to express their disgruntlement and demand.
Apart from the need for protective clothing, the employees also demanded their salaries after going for almost two months without pay.
