Transmedia okays luxury perks for CEO as employees wallow in poverty

By Nyasha Chuma | Zim Morning Post |

A state owned entity has flighted a tender for the supply of a Toyota Land cruiser Prado VX-L Automatic (Diesel Engine) for its new chief executive officer at a time it has written to the National Employment Council (NEC) pleading for a waiver to allow them to cease inflation adjusted salary increments citing that the company’s finances were not sound.

The move to keep workers’ Zimbabwe dollar salaries stagnant in the face of high inflation has ignited unrest at State owned enterprise Transmedia Corporation amid accusations of mismanagement of funds, neglect of workers and profiteering by management.

Zim Morning Post heard that the tiff between employees and management has got nasty to the extent of one Workers Committee member having his contract terminated forthwith after he approached the National Employment Council (NEC) for Electronic Communications, Radio, TV Manufacturing and Allied Industries.

It is alleged that the finance director Theresa Manuhwa clashed with employees after she wrote a letter to NEC for waiver to allow them to cease salary increments citing that the company’s finances were not sound.

“She (Manuhwa) declined our request of a salary increment and told NEC that the company had no funds yet we are aware that we have almost half a million in the Nostro Accounts that is said to be for investments, which are nonexistent. They are busy buying luxury cars for the bosses and claim the coffers are dry,” said one of the senior employees who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Zim Morning Post gleaned a letter written to one Ms Karuru, the NEC general secretary, wherein management requested a waiver.

It is also alleged that from October 2012 to date employees have not been receiving the NEC minimum salaries despite Transmedia subscribing to NEC last year.

Strikingly, on March 4, the State owned entity flighted a tender for the supply of a Toyota Land cruiser Prado VX-L Automatic (Diesel Engine) for the new chief executive Mushosho who succeed Sigudu Matambo in controversial circumstances.

The vehicle’s market value is not less than US$100 000.

Investigations by this publication established that Transmedia employees rank among the lowest paid in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting services.

Inside sources at the NEC confirmed receipt of the waiver request but the secretary general’s mobile number was unreachable.

“Yes we received that letter and invited both management and workers Committee for a meeting about two weeks ago. They reached a deadlock and verdict will be handed down this week,” said our inside source.

Efforts to contact the chief executive drew a blank but he is believed to have travelled to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

The financial director Manuhwa could neither confirm nor deny the allegations, she advised the publication that she would revert but neglected to do so.

“Hi (sic) I am in a meeting now,” she said in a message.

Transmedia is a state owned company established to provide radio and television signal distribution services for broadcasters in Zimbabwe in terms of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Commercialization Act 2001.

They are involved in the digitilization processing which has however faced a stunted growth since inception.