SALARY talks in the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) have reportedly stalled after parties failed to agree on a minimum wage, with workers threatening to pull out of the negotiations and declare a strike amid indications that there was no immediate solution to the deadlock.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

TNF parties are workers, government and the business sector.

The workers have accused business of offering slave wages paid in the moribund Zimdollar while charging goods and services in a more stable United States dollar.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which represents workers, is demanding a minimum wage of $3 800 across the board, but business insists on offering a national basic minimum wage of $1 200 per month.

Business also blocked the adoption of the South African rand, raising the ire of the ZCTU.

Both ZCTU president Peter Mutasa and Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (Emcoz) president Israel Murefu yesterday confirmed the stalemate, saying the matter has now been referred to Cabinet.

“Business is charging goods and services in US dollars, but does not want to peg salaries on the interbank rate. At least, we are agreed with government, which has proposed to peg the minimum on half of 75% of the PDL [poverty datum line] that was obtaining in August 2018. This gives the lowest paid worker a minimum of $3 806,” Mutasa said.

“Although this is not what we wanted, we have compromised and accepted this middle of the way figure. Business is rejecting this and offering an amount that leaves workers in abject poverty and modern-day slavery. We have no choice, but to collectively fight this. Business can’t refuse to move to (South African) rand and also reject paying decent wages.

“Both business and government are adamant that they want the Zimbabwean dollar to stay and that it shall stabilise. We, therefore, demand that as they work towards the imaginary stabilisation, workers must be given a minimum wage that is in line with the realities on the ground.”

The workers insisted that any figure below a minimum wage of $3 800 would trigger “civil unrest” because the bulk of the workers were no longer able to report for work or feed their families.
The workers were also pressuring government to, instead, officially adopt the rand and peg all salaries against the more stable rand and not the “valueless Zimdollar”.

Murefu said: “There is a bit of a differing of the minds between the social partners. Resultantly, the chairperson of the TNF (Paul Mavima) has taken the matter to Cabinet and we await the response from Cabinet. The workers want a blanket minimum wage, but we are saying it should be sector specific.”

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Mavima, under which TNF falls, was on Wednesday tasked by Cabinet to bring the warring parties to the table.

The Emcoz boss added that business backed the mono-currency system provided that government implemented currency reforms, which include not borrowing from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and checking its expenditure, among others.

“We said we will stay in the mono-currency at the moment provided government implemented some reforms. For example, monetary authorities should contain money supply growth because money supply is what influences the movement in the exchange rate and also commit to manage the fiscal deficit to the level which is indicated in the budget,” he said.

This came as Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Wednesday told journalists that the TNF disagreements had been referred back to the TNF partners to strike a win-win solution.

“Cabinet considered and approved the recommendations from the TNF regarding the matter of (minimum) wage. Cabinet directed that dialogue be pursued to ensure an urgent win-win solution to the matter given the prevailing economic conditions,” Mutsvangwa said.

The family of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to swallow their pride and urgently settle their political differences to end the country’s economic meltdown.

By Everson Mushava/Nqobani Ndlovu

In an interview with NewsDay ahead of commemorations to mark the death of the late former Premier two years ago, Tsvangirai’s younger brother, Manase, said his elder brother agreed to enter into a unity government with the later former President Robert Mugabe in 2009 after defeating him in March 2008 to save the nation from sinking into the abyss.

“The people are suffering. The current situation should bring everybody on board,” Manase said.

“It was not the dream of Morgan Tsvangirai to see the people suffering. That is why after defeating Mugabe in March 2008, he accepted to enter into a unity government with him to save people from suffering. He was a selfless leader who put people first in all his decisions.

“I am challenging President Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to put people first and swallow their pride and enter into dialogue.”

Tsvangirai died on February 14, 2018 in South Africa, where he was undergoing treatment for colon cancer.

He was succeeded by Chamisa, who represented the party in a watershed poll in July 2018, but refused to accept defeat to Mnangagwa.

Pressure has been mounting on Mnangagwa and Chamisa to engage in talks that could end the country’s economic challenges characterised by hyperinflation, shortage of goods like fuel mealie-meal, among others, and extortionate prices against sub-economic salaries.

Former South African leader Thabo Mbeki was in the country in December last year to try and cajole the two into dialogue, which is expected to arrest the country’s political and economic downfall.

“The two (Mnangagwa and Chamisa) should swallow their pride and enter into dialogue to stop people’s suffering. This does not even need a foreign envoy. The dialogue should simply be anchored on sincerity. Zimbabweans problems can be resolved internally,” Manase said.

He said Tsvangirai could have outrightly won the 2018 elections against Mnangagwa and urged Zimbabweans to redefine their destiny.

“Zimbabwe is not a private property, it does not belong to Zanu PF, and neither does it belong to MDC. It belongs to everybody. Once we understand that, the bickering will stop. Zimbabwe will be there forever. We had Mugabe, he is gone, so was Tsvangirai, but Zimbabwe is still there. We should think deeply about what we want to leave for our children,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chamisa has said today should be declared Tsvangirai day to commemorate the life of the former Prime Minister.

In an interview yesterday, Chamisa, who was in Bulawayo to meet party structures, said the day could not go unnoticed in the eyes of the MDC.

He said the opposition party had lined up provincial in-house activities to celebrate and commemorate the life of the founding party president.

“Tsvangirai is the founder, an icon of the democratic movement in Zimbabwe and our honour and respect is to do with his accomplishments, his contributions but more importantly the values that he set. February 14 is a day of love,” Chamisa said.

“His love for humanity is what caused him to dedicate his whole adulthood to the struggle. We will celebrate him in style and so we have lined up a number of activities because, for us, February 14 is the Morgan Tsvangirai Day.”

SECRETARY for information, Ndavaningi Mangwana yesterday came under fire after he claimed that the picture of a haulage truck submerged in water which is doing rounds on social media platforms belonged to the World Food Programme (WFP).

By Staff Reporter

Mangwana posted on Twitter that the truck got stuck in a flowing Kawongo River at Gurawakanya in Gokwe North district while transporting relief food to Nembudziya.

The tweet did not only attract a rebuke from WFP, but a battering from the local MP, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who accused the government of neglecting his own constituency.

“A haulage truck carrying World Food Programme drought relief food destined for Nembudziya, Gokwe has run into problems at Kawongo River,” Mangwana tweeted.

But the WFP could not take it and immediately responded that the truck was, in fact, not theirs, but contracted by the government for its own food relief mitigation programme.

“In fact, this is incorrect. This was not a WFP truck, but one contracted by the government of Zimbabwe for its own food deficit mitigation programme. WFP is on the ground ready to assist and to ensure necessary food aid reaches those in need,” WFP responded.

The UN organ added in another tweet: “This is not a WFP truck; we have confirmed with all our transporters and our partner on the ground. WFP adheres to strict safety principles and trainings.”

Wadyajena weighed in: “Cde Nick, let’s be honest, Gokwe North is being neglected. Old dispensation did zilch & still no infrastructure development there yet we see you post tarred roads to Chivi. Relay my message to your pals Hon @JbMatiza & @MthuliNcube. We’re now FED UP! I represent people not trees!”

Mangwana’s tweet attracted ridicule on social media, with Twitter users questioning how many things the country had been lied to by the top government official.

The attacks forced Mangwana to retreat: “Thank you for the correction. We appreciate your efforts to complement government’s programmes to feed the nation in the face of a drought-triggered food shortage.”

OUR worst fears have been confirmed that Prosecutor-General (PG) Kumbirai Hodzi would land himself into trouble for confirming the mechanics behind the rot that is destroying this country’s economy after he told us that cartels involved in graft cases had virtually captured the State.

NewsDay Comment

Some unintelligible dimwit, who is an executive member of some obscure outfit calling itself the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Unions (Zicosu), has decided to be the first to throw stones at the PG for alerting us as to why not even a single significant individual has been jailed for graft, given all the efforts President Emmerson Mnangagwa is said to be putting to fight corruption. Serve for the few cases such as that involving former minister Priscah Mupfumira – which are nothing to write home about given the magnitude of corruption in the country, there has not been any successful earth-shattering arrests, prosecutions and jailing of people said to be the corruption kingpins. All we have seen and heard are dreary statements from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission telling us that they are still busy investigating.

And when the PG decided to tell us what exactly was taking place behind the scenes regarding the war on corruption, some small grey-mattered nincompoop then finds energy to attack the PG.

If we read Hodzi well, he specifically said: “The cartels (involved in corruption) are well-organised, they are organised in the sense that their organisation is deliberate and meant to frustrate the discovery of their corruption. They make sure they are not discovered and frustrate the prosecution and the work of law agents. The nature of the cartels cuts across all the institutions, media, legal profession, judiciary, National Prosecuting Authority and all other institutions that are mandated to fight corruption. Even members of the public and businesspeople, they are also involved in these cartels.”

Hodzi can be likened to a doctor who diagnoses the nature of a serious ailment afflicting some patient, but the relative of the patient shouts at that doctor that he was a failure.

“Honourable sir, your admittance that truly cartels exist, that corruption is sinking the economy is a clear sign that in your capacity as the PG you have failed… we found it disturbing to hear that you alleged lack of co-ordination as a reason why corruption is growing yet the Constitution of Zimbabwe section 260(11) gives you the power to deal with these issues,” Zicosu executive Eden Mandava crowed.

Mandava seems to be completely lost to the fact that the corruption war in Zimbabwe cannot be won by a single person or institution. It requires the efforts of many people and all those institutions Hodzi cited as being now compromised. The PG and his office are not the alpha and omega in the fight against corruption, but is a mere player whose contributions are meaningless if the other players are compromised and not playing ball. Even Mandava himself is called to arms when it comes to the fight against corruption.

It is quite evident that Mandava is just being used by the very cartels that the PG is talking about. We saw absolutely nothing amiss in Hodzi’s apt summation of the complexities of the fight against corruption. Mnangagwa should be wary of lapdogs like Mandava who appear to be on his side, yet they are part of a clique of people who are busy destroying him and his government. It’s best for Mandava to just shut the hell up if he has nothing meaningful to say.

INFORMATION minister Monica Mutsvangwa yesterday said her ministry would soon license 19 campus radio stations as part of initiatives to widen access to information at higher learning institutions.

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

She said her ministry had already gazetted a frequency allocation plan for the establishment of the stations.

“As we are generously hosted by the Midlands State University, let me say to you, we can’t come here on World Radio Day and not talk about campus radio,” Mutsvangwa said yesterday at the World Radio Day commemorations in Gweru.

“It is a policy objective of my ministry to have campus radios licensed in Zimbabwe. To this end, we have gazetted a frequency allotment plan and regulations that enable the establishment of about 19 campus radio stations in this country.”

She urged institutions of higher learning to take advantage of the development.

Mutsvangwa reiterated government’s commitment to establish community radios particularly in rural communities to enhance development. She said for people to develop at grassroots level they should take ownership of their own development.

“It is here that the community radio will play a critical role and for this reason there is no turning back on rolling out community stations,” Mutsvangwa said.

She, however, urged broadcasters and those that are going to be given licences to use them responsibly and in the national interest.

The celebrations were held under the theme Radio, Diversity and Development.

FORMER Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, who is facing a charge of corruptly causing the release of two government officials arrested for sleaze, has turned the tables against officer-in-charge at Avondale Police Station, saying he should have resisted his illegal directive.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Mphoko made the claim in his application for exception to the charge.

Through his lawyers advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba and Zibusiso Ncube, Mphoko told Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya that his right to a fair trial would be violated if he were made to answer to the charges which were vague, too broad and did not contain the essential elements of an offence.

Magwaliba said Mphoko had been refused adequate time and facilities to prepare his defence and the right to challenge the evidence.

“The State does not identify if there is any Act of Parliament and which section of that Act of Parliament or which sections of the code of conduct the accused violated. The prosecution expects the accused to plead in the dark. This is not consistent with the right of the accused person to a fair trial,” Magwaliba submitted.

Magwaliba said the allegations by the State clearly indicated that it was not Mphoko who released Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) bosses Davison Norupiri and Moses Juma from police custody on July 14, 2016, but the officer-in-charge.

He said his client could only be charged for obstructing the course of justice.

“If the officer-in-charge complied with a lawful order, then he had a complete defence to any charge of misconduct or criminal charge that he could face for releasing the two,” the lawyer said.

“But if the officer-in-charge avails himself of the defence of complying with an illegal order, still Mphoko would not be guilty of any offence since he was not a member of a disciplined force to give command,” Magwaliba added.

After filing the application for exception, Magwaliba asked the court for time to have a record of the proceedings transcribed before the State could orally respond to his application, saying he needed to note facts that are in the record for a response from the State’s submission.

However, prosecutor Michael Reza elected to respond to Mphoko’s application by February 27 before Mujaya delivers his ruling on March 4.

Mphoko is facing a charge of criminal abuse of office after he, on July 14, 2016, allegedly instructed police officers at Avondale Police Station in Harare to release two Zinara officials from holding cells without following procedure while he was Acting President.

High Court judge Justice David Mangota has dismissed an application by former Harare town clerk Josephine Ncube challenging her suspension by ex-mayor Bernard Manyenyeni.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Ncube, who is also chamber secretary, had argued that her suspension in January 2018 was not in accordance with section 140 of the Urban Councils Act and, as such, must be declared unlawful, null and void.

But Justice Mangota dismissed her application with costs, saying she had failed to support her case with relevant statutes.

“The applicant (Ncube) appears to have prepared and filed her case in a hurry. She did not develop the theme of her argument. She left it hanging in the air, so to speak. She did not rebut the respondent’s assertions which, in all respects, she should have rebutted,” Justice Mangota said.

“She did not refer me to any rule, regulations or law which prohibits an employer from suspending its worker when the latter is on sick leave. She did not refer me to any rule, regulation or law which prevents an employer from inviting its worker who is on sick leave to a disciplinary hearing.”

The judge said all Ncube managed to do in respect of her matter was to accuse the City of Harare of not having complied with the procedural requirements of the country’s labour laws.

“She did not state what those labour laws were or are. She left that very important matter to the court to guess what she exactly meant to convey to it. She put up a very poor show. She did so much to her unfortunate detriment … the applicant failed to prove her case on a balance of probabilities. The same stands on nothing. It is, accordingly, dismissed with costs,” he said.

On the contrary, the judge said the City of Harare managed to precisely articulate its argument and convinced the court that its decision to suspend her was above board.

“The respondent (City of Harare), in my view, must have agonised over the invidious position in which it found itself. It must, therefore, have done its homework and discovered the existence of another law, which, in its view, would assist it to bring about the result which it intended,” he said.

“As long, therefore, as the law it came up with was supportive of its case legally, it cannot be faulted for having departed from the Urban Councils Act in preference to the Labour Act as read with Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006.”

ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo yesterday demanded the immediate arrest of members of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said to have been captured by business cartels.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

She was responding to a recent admission by Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi that some sections of the NPA, Zacc, police and the Judiciary were captured by cartels.

Speaking to the media soon after signing a memorandum of understanding between Zacc and Transparency International-Zimbabwe (TI-Z), Justice Matanda-Moyo said the statements by Hodzi were a cause for concern.

“When he speaks about the prosecution, it’s actually worrying, but when he talks about other institutions without evidence from those other institutions, I am not worried yet,” she said.
“If our prosecutors are, indeed, captured, it’s a cause for concern. We, as Zacc, need to move in and actually arrest those prosecutors who have been captured because it’s a form of corruption to allow a person who is supposed to be independent, who is supposed to serve the nation to be captured by cartels. That is really worrisome and unacceptable in a democracy.”

The Zacc boss said she had reached out to the PG so that she could collect evidence of his allegations and the commission could move in and deal with the alleged cases of corruption, but Hodzi recanted and alleged that he was misquoted.

“The PG told me that he was misquoted. I haven’t heard the recordings. I haven’t seen the videos, so I am unable to comment, but that is what he told me,” she said.

TI-Z executive director Mundopa Muchaneta weighed in, saying the comments by the PG should be a cause of concern for every citizen.

“When it comes to fighting corruption, we expect to see strong and independent institutions. So the allegations that institutions mandated to fight corruption are captured is very worrying. It is something that should be taken seriously and investigated properly,” she said.