A BULAWAYO-based company has allegedly evicted its former employee from a company house, which the employee insists was given to him as compensation after he was involved in a workplace accident that left him paralysed.
PRIVILEGE SHOKO OWN CORRESPONDENT
Killion Mvundura (70) an employee at Span Construction was evicted from the house which is located along Lobengula Street last week without notice.
Mvundura was employed by Span as a mechanic and foreman in 1976 and he says he was told to live in the house, free of charge since 1981 and felt that he had the right to have it, as he had worked for his employer for a long time.
“Span came without any notice and told me that I had to move out of the house as he had already sold it and I should relocate to a company workshop alone without my family,” he said.
Mvundura said his employer gave him two options, to move to the workshop or retire, saying when he queried this, his boss retorted that “he was not my father”.
Explaining how he had come to live at the house at the centre of the dispute, Mvundura said he got injured at the workplace which left him paralysed, and deserved compensation, as no company would employ him.
“I was paralysed in April 1982 while I was fixing a lorry at the company and someone, by mistake moved the lorry and it dragged me for about 100 metres and my right hand became paralysed,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“I am now dependent on my family for everything since I was paralysed as I cannot wash or cook for myself and wear clothes without any assistance.
“There is no way I cannot live with family.”
A relative, who stays with Mvundura at the house, said Span had told his uncle that he would look for a house where he would live with his family.
“We are really shocked by Span’s behaviour after the service given by my uncle since 1976,” the relative said.
“Span and my uncle are long-time friends and some things between them were not put in writing and sometimes he would be given money without even a pay slip.
“Span came and told my uncle that he wanted to sell the house, but would see what he could do for him and the family, but now he has turned against him.
“Span has gone to the extent of accusing my uncle of lying saying he was not paralysed while at work.”
Nicholas Masuku, Mvundura’s nephew said they tried to talk to Span, but nothing had materialised.
“We contacted Span after he evicted my uncle to discuss the issue but he told us that he did not care and my uncle was not his child,” he said.
“He also told us that he had already sold the house and nothing would change.”
Masuku appealed to the government and labour organisations to intervene.
“We would like the government to intervene because we still have white people in this country who are oppressing blacks,” he said.
When Southern Eye visited the house yesterday, Extra City Luxury bus owners who bought the house, were already renovating the place and said they were not told by Span that there was someone living there.
According to a recent Span Construction meeting, Mvundura was not being asked to resign, but had to retire since he was now 70 years.
“The sale of the house which Mvundura lived in free of charge will be finalised after he has retired and given his 2014 to 2015 annual package,” the minutes read. i“He should either look for a house after being given his package or come and live at the workshop alone.”
When contacted for comment Span said he had already discussed the matter with the family.
“I don’t know what this has to do with Southern Eye, but we discussed the whole issue with my employee,” he said.
