Furore over Mpilo donations

News
MPILO Central Hospital management is allegedly forcing its employees to each contribute $2 towards the construction of a precast wall at the institution.

MPILO Central Hospital management is allegedly forcing its employees to each contribute $2 towards the construction of a precast wall at the institution.

MTHANDAZO NYONI OWN CORRESPONDENT

The Bulawayo United Residents’ Association (Bura) together with Mpilo Hospital last month embarked on a resource mobilisation drive aimed at raising more than $200 000 by requesting each household to donate $1 towards the initiative.

Sources at Mpilo told Southern Eye last Friday that all hospital employees were being allegedly forced to contribute $2 each towards the project, failure of which they risked victimisation or being branded anti-government.

“All employees at Mpilo were told to pay $2 towards the construction of a security wall at the institution. They warned employees that those who fail to honour this directive will face the wrath of the management. This is not fair at all. How can management make us pay on behalf of the government?” asked the source.

The source said the government should intervene to stop the alleged extortion as it was not the workers’ duty to erect the precast wall.

However, Mpilo Hospital chief executive officer Lawrence Mantiziba dismissed the allegation saying no employee was being forced to contribute $2.

He said employees were being requested to contribute anything they had just like any other resident.

“There is no one at Mpilo who has been forced to contribute even R2 towards that project,” he said.

“Employees are being requested to contribute anything they have and there are some who have contributed more than $100. Those people saying they are being forced should be ashamed.”

Mantiziba said the employees claiming that they were being forced to contribute towards the erection of the precast wall were mere detractors who wanted to destroy a good project.