SIX council vehicles were attached after a 56-year-old Gweru resident sued the local authority for injuries sustained when she fell into an unsecured council pit.
By Stephen Chadenga
The vehicles were attached by the Sheriff of the High Court last week after Jelitha Ndebele filed a $134 000 lawsuit against the council.
In 2013, Ndebele fell into an unprotected pit along a cycle track dug by council workers, who were repairing a street light along the Gweru-Harare Highway near Thornhill High School.
Two years later, she filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court claiming damages for suffering permanent disability, pain, loss of earnings and loss of service pay and also loss of future pension earnings, arguing that she lost her job as a result of the injuries.
Court papers gleaned by this paper showed Ndebele demanded $15 000 for body injury, loss of earnings, $76 296, loss of service pay, $19 074 and $24 000 for loss of future pension earnings, resulting in total damages of $134 370.
“The plaintiff sustained injuries as a result of the falling and was admitted to Gweru General Hospital for seven days. She was on crutches for a year and has now developed a permanent disability of 22%, which was assessed by a competent corporate body, National Social Security Authority.”
In her application, Ndebele also claimed she was deprived of 17 years of gainful employment from January 2013 to January 2030.
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All the attached vehicles, including a Toyota Quantum minibus and five other vehicles, have been locked up at the Fitz-Gerald Auction Yard along Lobengula Avenue.
Town clerk, Elizabeth Gwatipedza could not be reached for comment yesterday.
