Soldiers bash ex-ZBC workers
By Farayi Machamire
HARARE – Retrenched Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) employees had to scurry for cover yesterday after the State broadcaster’s executive unleashed soldiers on the ex-workers who had visited the corporation’s headquarters seeking their unpaid dues.
At least 30 former ZBC staffers were said to have been caught up in the violent assaults after seeking audience with the broadcaster’s management over their exit packages.
The bashed ex-employees made a police report at Highlands Police Station under reference number 2584826.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba said she was checking with Highlands Police Station when the Daily News reached her for comment yesterday.
The group of about 30 ex-employees are part of more than 300 workers who were fired by the cash-strapped broadcaster earlier this year after the courts confirmed employers’ rights to terminate workers’ contracts on notice.
Some of the bashed ex-employees told the Daily News that their ordeal began after they had been directed to the ZBC headquarters in Harare to discuss their grievances and outstanding monies.
But all hell broke loose upon their arrival there.
“When we got to the acting CEO’s offices on the third floor, he told us that he was going into another office and he would be back soon.
“But we were surprised soon after to see heavily-armed soldiers who usually man the institution’s entrance gate approaching us and violently attacking us,” one of the former employees said.
Another former staffer described the executive’s move to have them removed by armed forces as a reflection of “the abuse of power prevalent at the ZBC”.
“It’s a failure of good corporate governance because it was unnecessary for them to do what they did. We were just there to ask for our dues,” the aggrieved ex-worker said.
“Why they decided to use brute force against us is a mystery as no one was being aggressive. We just wanted to know where we stand with our moneys,” he added.
Other former employees said despite giving most of their working life to ZBC, they had left the institution peacefully following the issuance of the three-month notices — adding that it was unfair to be treated with such disdain after their long and distinguished service to the corporation. Daily News
