FORMER Gokwe town secretary Tapiwa Marongwe has approached the Labour Court seeking over $30 000 from the local authority in outstanding salary and also challenging his dismissal.
BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
The matter in which Marongwe challenges his suspension from work in February last year over allegations of corruption and eventual dismissal almost a year later has now been referred for arbitration.
Marongwe will now meet his former bosses for arbitration in Gweru to settle the case before arbitrator Peter Dzimba on a date still to be set. In a Labour Court form LR4 dated November 8, a labour officer only identified as L Moyo, who sat at a conciliatory meeting to adjudicate between Marongwe and council, said the matter should now go for arbitration after the two failed to find common ground.
“I, L Moyo, being labour officer hereby refer to arbitration by Dzimba the matter between Marongwe and Gokwe Town Council concerning alleged unlawful suspension, non-payment of dues upon expiry of first suspension period as in the Urban Councils Act and unfair dismissal,” part of the referral reads.
Marongwe’s lawyer Innocent Hore said his client would be demanding salaries which were withheld while he was on the “illegal” suspension.
“They suspended our client illegally and during that time council was not paying his salaries, so we will be seeking to get paid. Marongwe’s dismissal from work is also being challenged,” Hore said.
As town secretary, Marongwe earned $1 500 a month excluding other allowances and claims he needs to be paid from February last year to date.
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The former town secretary was dismissed after being found guilty of allegedly acquiring a second-hand Toyota D4D at $52 000 for himself when council had only approved that a vehicle worth $38 000 be bought.
He was also found guilty of using his position to influence awarding of tenders to briefcase companies which later allegedly swindled the local authority of thousands of dollars.
