The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation today fired all journalists and majority
of supporting staff at its Gweru based Voice of Zimbabwe station. The
development could literally means the station has been shut down.
The
station was in the build up to the 2002 elections during the first stint of
Jonathan Moyo as Information minister. It was accessible on the short wave band
and it is understood its establishment was meant to jam foreign-based stations
that the Zanu (PF) regime believed to be hostile towards it while sympathising
with the MDC ahead of the watershed polls.
Sources at the station today
pointed out that all employees working on the current affairs department that
comprised of about 20 journalists were given letters informing them that their
contracts had been terminated on three months’ notice. Joseph Nhara, the station
manager, is understood to have also been fired together with employees from
other departments like news production, engineering, security and drivers-
bringing the total figure of the affected workers to about 50.
“We write to
advise that the employer has decided to exercise its right in terms of the
Common Law and Section 12 (4) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) (Hereinafter
referred to as the Labour Act to
terminate your contract of employment in
notice with immediate effect,” reads part of a letter addressed to one of the
sacked workers. It is dated 11 August and was signed by ZBC’s Acting Chief
Executive, Patrick Mavhura.
The correspondence also demanded that the
sacked workers today surrender identification cards and properties that they
used as ZBC employees.
“Please ensure that you surrender the ZBC identity
card, information relating to your responsibilities and any other ZBC property
in your possession to the undersigned by 12 August 2015.”
A few employees
numbering about five were spared and sources said they are next line but only
survived in order to safeguard equipment and properties at the radio
station.
When this reporter arrived at the station, there was sombreness
among the affected workers who were packing out.
“We have been caught
off-guard. The ZBC had given us assurances that our jobs were safe. There is
desperation here,” said one of the affected employee from the current affairs
department.
Last week ZBC fired its embattled chief executive, Happison
Muchechetere and three other top officials who were on suspension over
corruption-related charges.
According to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions, about 20 000 employees have lost their jobs since deliverance of a
Supreme Court ruling that gives employers the right to fire employees upon
giving them three months’
notices.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2015/08/zbc-desecrates-gweru-station-fires-all-journalists/
