THE country’s third-biggest theatre, Charles Austin in Masvingo, is on the brink of closure after its former artistic director Leeroy Gono — who won a $44 000 labour dispute — decided to enforce a writ of execution to attach the theatre’s property.
BY KENNEDY NYAVAYA
The High Court endorsed the order after a the salary dispute which started in 2013 when a new Masvingo Drama Circle board altered Gono’s contract, reducing him to a voluntary worker.
Gono told NewsDay that the development was unfortunate, but he was happy the matter had been resolved. “Justice has prevailed in the end,” he said.
“It is disheartening considering that I am an artiste and I never wanted for it to reach this far.”
Gono said he was traumatised by the case, during which he experienced a robbery while attending a court session.
“It has been a traumatic experience ever since the case started, but I have managed to deal with it so I am not afraid anymore,” he said. “I didn’t do anything wrong other than fight for my rights.”
The theatre first opened its doors in 1943 and was officially opened in 1974 standing out as one of the few functional theatres in the country. It was being run by Masvingo Drama Circle.
