Former Cabinet minister Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana is allegedly reneging on paying his former mine manager, John Brett Patterson, $2 078 in outstanding salaries and compensation for unfair dismissal.
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA
Patterson was dismissed from Washington Mine in Battlefields on May 7 2014 after the Zimbabwe Energy Transmission and Distribution Company allegedly disconnected power supply owing to non-payment of a $30 243 bill.
On dismissal, Patterson was allegedly given $500 cash, which he signed for despite the breach of employment contract which stipulated that he was to be notified at least 30 days before termination of contract.
Due to non-payment of the balance, Patterson engaged the Labour Court, which subsequently took the case to arbitration, where Mangwana’s company was directed to pay the amount demanded, but has not done so since last year.
Patterson told NewsDay that he knew Mangwana had the capacity to pay, but was just reneging. “I did the work and I feel I was unjustly dismissed and because I did the work, I would like the money that is owed to me. It is not that he does not have the money, he has had plenty of time to find it,” he said.
“He owes me $1 078 plus an extra $1 000 for cash in lieu. I am not interested in terms or whatever. He has the capacity to pay.”
Patterson also has printed messages from social blogging site WhatsApp, where Mangwana allegedly claimed the mine was not operational yet one of the employees at the mine said the mine was indeed operational after power was reconnected in June 2014.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Mangwana yesterday said Patterson was employed by a company in which he is a shareholder.
He said he was fired for misconduct and took the matter to the Labour Court.
“Are you now a debt collector? If he has a problem, he goes to his employer and not the Press, unless the scope of your profession includes debt collection,” Mangwana said. “He was fired for misconduct, so it is a labour issue.”
