Latwell Nyangu
A MAN who worked for the Chitungwiza Town Council for 14 years, before being dismissed on three-months notice and winning his case at the Labour Court, has been given a settlement which equates to just TWENTY TWO CENTS per every year since the two parties parted company.
The insult is that he was supposed to receive this in staggered form up to November next year.
Honest Garise’s salary dues, backdated to 2015, has been calculated to be just a mere ZWG2, according to his former employers, and he has told H-Metro that he is shocked.
He has described those who came up with the payment plan as heartless individuals.
Garise, whose employment number was 31123, received a letter yesterday advising him of his ZWG2 backdated dues and said he is not a happy man at all.
He feels his former employers insulted him with a meagre settlement which is not even equivalent to a dollar.
The letter was signed by the Chitungwiza Town Council Finance Director Evangelista Machona.
It reads:
“Dear sir, Re- Salary arrears owed.
“Reference is made to your letter dated 15 October 2024.You were owed US$5156.95 when your contract with Council was terminated in August 2015.
“Please be advised that in February 2019 there was a transition from USD to RTGs at a rate of 1:1 which meant that US$5156.95 became RTGS5156.55.
“The RTGS 5156.95 was then converted to ZIG on 5 April 2024 at a rate of 1:2498.7242 and it became 2.06 ZIG.
“Council now owes you ZiG 2.06.”
Garise told H-Metro:
“I left work on August 26, 2015, so, this money was my salary arrears and I would go to the Council requesting my money.
“Mai Machona would tell me that they had no money until I went there again in October over the same issue.
“They wanted me to sign a settlement where I was advising them that they still owed me US$5156,95.
“So, instead, they worked with a 1:1 ratio and I refused to sign until I was told by the Town Clerk to write a letter raising my complaints.
“They then responded to me with this letter which had 2,06 ZiG yandakashandira zvikwereti zvavo, paying USD ini ndakupiwa ZiG 2 kutsvinya kwakadaro.
“I refused to sign the settlement deed on number 5 and the pay was not even coming on time when I was still going to work.
“They told me to go to court saying they are following Government procedures.
“I got this letter today (yesterday) and I want my cash and handifunge panomira mushe ikasauya kana KuChipinge ndoenda.
“Takadzingwa ne three months notice up to now vachiramba nemari.”
Chitungwiza Municipality Public Relations Officer, Tafadzwa Kachiko, said:
“We take note of the outcry caused by the recent letter to one of our former employees and we stand ready to resolve the situation.
“Any inconveniences caused is sincerely regretted.”
H-Metro has obtained the settlement which Garise refused to sign.
It reads:
“In the matter between Chitungwiza Municipality and Honest Garise:
WHEREAS Honest Garise (18-08170 A18) was employed by Chitungwiza Municipality (the Employer) permanently from 21 March 2001
· WHEREAS the employee was retrenched from council employment in 2015 and contested the dismissal to the Labour Court
· WHEREAS judgment was made in favour of the employee, with a determination that the employer either reinstates the employee to its employment or compensates the employee where the relationship would have become untenable.
· WHEREAS parties have negotiated and agreed for the employer to pay damages.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT:
1. The employer shall pay to the employee the sums set out hereunder as terminal benefits arising from the parties employment contract:
The sum of US$5328.35 (ZWL equivalent) as fifteen (15) months of damages.
2. Payment Plan:
· Both parties agree to an initial payment of US$1,000.00 in November 2024.
· The payments shall commence on 1 November 2024, and the balance payable in ZWL equivalent to US$ over twelve (12) months, ending on 30 November 2025.
· The agreed-upon monthly payment shall be made on or before the end of every month.
· Payments shall be money transferred and paid through the bank account.
· The sums and other entitlements stipulated herein represent the employee’s full final claim against the employer for all his terminal benefits, and the employee is not present any further claims arising from his employment with Chitungwiza Municipality at any time after the signing of this deed of settlement and before forum whatsoever.
· The employer and the employee have freely and voluntarily agreed to the terms of the deed of settlement.
· This deed of settlement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties nothing outside this deed shall bind the parties unless reduced to writing and signed by both parties.”