Mutare City Council has suspended one of its meter readers, Tawanda Mukodza a Zanu-PF provincial executive member, over allegations of failing to report for duty for more than a year although he remained on full salary.
Mukodza was suspended on June 15 by council’s finance director Lloyd Musasa following an internal audit, which found him guilty of absconding from duty for three months.
Part of the suspension letter reads: “It has come to my attention that you have been absent from work without official authority or reasonable cause from April 2012 to date.
‘The absence from work without official authority or reasonable cause is an act of misconduct according to Section 4 (e) of the Labour Regulations, 2006.
“In terms of Section 141(4) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29.15) and in my capacity as your Head of Department, I am suspending you from work without pay and benefits effective June 15, 2012.”
Mukodza, who is Zanu PF provincial youth chairperson, is a meter reader and according to his workmates, he has not been reporting for work for more than a year although it only came to the attention of city fathers in April.
“We feared victimisation and thus could not report him to the superiors until April this year because the burden of his absence affected us.He always threatened to deal with us politically if we dared report him,” said a council official.
Contacted for comment, Mukodza downplayed the suspension and accused his employers of politicising labour issues.
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“I know there are young Turks at the council who are trying to prove a point against me,” he claimed.
“It’s an agenda and for the record I am enjoying my life as a politician.
“However, I need to warn those guys that they should brace for a big fight if they dare threaten me.”
