Minister ‘abandons’ office over elevator

News
Eunice Sandi-Moyo has allegedly been absent from work for the past 2weeks after the elevator at the section of her offices at Mhlahlandlela complex broke down.

BULAWAYO Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo has allegedly been absent from work for the past two weeks after the elevator at the section where her offices are located at the Mhlahlandlela government complex broke down.

BENSON DUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT

Eunice-Sandi-MoyoA government employee who requested anonymity said Sandi-Moyo had not been to work because she allegedly does not want to use the stairs to her sixth floor office.

The employee said all official matters requiring her attention were being conveyed to her through her personal assistant.

“The minister has been operating from her house since the elevator broke down a fortnight ago and all matters that need her attention are now attended to by her personal assistant who is now working like a deputy minister and has become untouchable,” the employee said.

The worker said there was no indication as to when the elevator would be repaired.

“The elevator will take time to be repaired as they need to put an entirely new system for the machine to be functional,” the source said.

Sandi-Moyo was not reachable for comment as the person who answered her mobile phone said she had left it at home.

However, Bulawayo provincial administrator Khonzani Ncube defended Sandi-Moyo saying she had a busy schedule and was attending to other issues.

She said the minister was not necessarily absenting herself from work because of the elevator.

“The minister does come to work,” Ncube said. “It’s only that she has a tight schedule and if other government officials do not see her they conclude otherwise.

“There are 10 elevators at the complex that need to be overhauled and there is another one which is functional at the Zimra (Zimbabwe Revenue Authority) side, that she could use.”