FORMER Bulawayo deputy mayor, Gift Banda has dragged Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and a tribunal, which recommended his sacking, to court claiming unfair dismissal.
BY SILAS NKALA
In his application filed at the Bulawayo High Court on May 30, Banda, who was fired late last year on corruption charges, cited Kasukuwere, members of the tribunal and the city council as respondents.
He challenged the tribunal — comprising Hilda Makusha Moyo, Midard Khumalo and Lucy Manhokwe — to furnish him with a full and complete record of proceedings in the disciplinary hearing held against him on December 13 and 14, 2016. Banda claimed he was erroneously convicted and fired.
“I have sought the record of proceedings on numerous occasions and the first respondent has not been forthcoming, only to avail an incomplete record of proceedings replete with grammatical and typographical errors,” he submitted.
“I, accordingly, seek an order compelling the first respondent to avail and furnish me through my legal practitioners of the record within five days of service of the order with a complete and full record of proceedings failing which the decision of the first respondent finding me guilty of an act of gross misconduct be set aside and I be reinstated forthwith as councillor for Ward 5 in Bulawayo and deputy mayor of the sixth respondent.”
Banda was charged for abusing his position as deputy mayor and councillor to acquire a residential stand measuring 3,5 hectares in Ascot and erected a precast security wall at the property prior to receiving council approval of the transaction.
He was also accused of acquiring a lease for stand 187964 in Bulawayo on behalf of Entertainment Headquarters without going to tender.
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He said he was taken to a disciplinary hearing and on February 23 this year, the tribunal found him guilty of gross misconduct and recommended his expulsion.
The respondents are yet to respond to the application.
