Chitungwiza Municipality has reinstated St Mary’s Clinic sister-in- charge Shingirai Tsvangirai who had been suspended early last week on allegations of instigating other nurses to down tools.
The nurses embarked on an industrial action citing lack of renumeration, COVID 19 risk allowance,transport allowance and personal protecting equipment (PPE) two weeks ago.
Tsvangirai had been suspended with loss of salary and benefits but according to the letter dated 13 May 2020 addressed to her shows that the suspension had been revoked with immediate effect.
This was due to the memo that had been written by the Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo forbidding the local authority from sending employees on forced leave pending finalisation of its investigations on the affairs of the council.
“The suspension is being lifted by the employer for the reason that,on the 28th of November 2019,Ref X8/46 the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon. J. Moyo gave a directive to the municipality that state as follows:
“In addition, in terms of Section 316 of the Urban Council’s Act, I order that all suspensions and sending staff on forced leave are held in abeyance until the conclusion of the Investigation. Should Council wish to take such action in the interim, they should seek authority from this office,” reads part of the letter.
Chitungwiza Acting Town Clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu confirmed the development to Zim Morning Post adding that council still had the liberty to resume disciplinary hearing if granted permission by the Government.
“Sister Tsvangirai suspension has been uplifted for the time being because we have noted a ministerial directive from Minister July Moyo prohibiting such exercise,” he said.
He added:
“The Ministry’s investigation into the affairs of Chitungwiza Municipality has not yet reached its conclusion as the council has not yet been furnished with the outcome of the investigation.
Therefore, in the interim the municipality also retains the right to re-institute disciplinary proceedings against Sister Tsvangirai on or after the conclusion of the Ministry’s investigation into the affairs of Chitungwiza Municipality.”
