Golden handshake for council boss

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GOKWE town council and former town secretary Tapiwa Marongwe have agreed terms over his exit package bringing to an end a two-year labour dispute.

GOKWE town council and former town secretary Tapiwa Marongwe have agreed terms over his exit package bringing to an end a two-year labour dispute.

BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER

Marongwe fired from his job over allegations of tender manipulation, fraud and incompetence had returned to haunt his former employers accusing them of illegally dismissing him from work.

He demanded that the local authority pay him $215 537,15 in outstanding salary, perks and terminal benefits.

His lawyer Innocent Hore said council offered to pay his client $60 000,00 instead of the amount which he had demanded.

“We took the offer which now awaits a full council resolution that has to be made by March 27,” Hore said.

Councillor Jameson Mhlanga said the motion to pay Marongwe $60 000 had been passed by one of council’s committees, but was yet to be brought to full council for approval.

“That suggestion was passed in committee and is yet to be approved by council. We will have to discuss the merits and demerits in full council and make a resolution,” he said.

Hore said Marongwe was happy at the moment with the outcome, but will wait to hear the resolution from the local authority by March 27.

In submissions made before an arbitration tribunal in Gweru on January 22, Marongwe through his lawyers, argued that he was illegally dismissed from work following his suspension on February 13 2012, after having worked for the town council for three years.

He told the tribunal presided over by a Ganyani, that he had not received any official communication from his former employers regarding his employment position following a Local Government Board meeting held on May 10 2013.

“By implication the employee is still on unlawful suspension that has lasted 22 months,” Hore wrote in his submissions.