CHINHOYI Municipality has fired a planning officer from its housing department for allegedly masterminding a stands scam involving several properties, a development which prejudiced council of thousands of dollars in potential revenue.
Own Correspondent
During a full council meeting last Thursday councillors adopted the arbitrator only identified as T Mukosa’s recommendation to dismiss suspended planning technician John Dodzo after chamber secretary Abel Gotora circulated an addendum outlining Mukosa’s ruling in the disciplinary hearing held on January 28 this year.
According to sources, Dodzo’s matter underlined the massive corruption activities involving senior council officials, councillors and estate agents surrounding the sale of stands in the town.
Reads part of the arbitrator’s report: “The hearing officer found the employee guilty of contravening Section 4 (a) of Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006.
It is on record that employee has worked for the employer for six years without committing any act of misconduct meaning that he is a first offender. Section 7 of Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006 provides for penalties.
“It states that disciplinary action should be educational, then corrective and that punishment should only be imposed where such measures have proved ineffective. I do not think that the general sentiments are to be taken, for example, as meaning that an employee who commits a dismissible offence is entitled, as a matter of right, to ‘educational’ disciplinary action and then corrective action.”
In aggravation the ruling stated the duplication of stand numbers in different suburbs would make it difficult for council to administer and plan its work.
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The amplified effect of the scandal had both financial and reputational risk to council. It was clear that basic town planning principles were flouted and council suffered financial prejudice as a result of the employees’ actions, the arbitrator ruled.
Gotora said council would immediately write to Dodzo informing him of its decision to fire him and he had a legal right to appeal within seven days.
