City of Masvingo, which has been embroiled in a number of labour disputes, is appealing against the recent Gutu labour office ruling ordering the reinstatement or proper retrenchment of two fired council employees.
Gutu labour officer, Faith Mupangami, ruled in favour of Boniface Mazarire and Vunganai Menasseh who are fighting the termination of their contracts by Masvingo City Council.
Mupangami gave council 30 days to reinstate the two or negotiate their exit package.
The duo was dismissed on the basis of the controversial three months’ notice dismissals that shook the country last year.
When contacted for comment, Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha could only say Council was still looking into the judgment and weighing all the options available.
“We are still looking into the matter and I cannot provide you with any further details,” he said.
However, Ward 10 Councillor Lovemore Mufamba, who chaired the meeting which resolved to fire the two, said it was Council’s duty to defend the dismissals.
“As Council we resolved that Mazarire, Menasseh and Josphat Ruzengwe be fired and we tasked management to defend that decision. The judgement does not bind because we have lodged an appeal. We feel there are reasonable grounds to think the law may have been misinterpreted.
He criticised the judgement, saying he does not see why Mazarire and Menasseh’s case was treated differently when a similar case had been dismissed earlier on.
“It is the same office which dismissed a similar case by Ruzengwe. What is the difference now?” said Mufamba who added that the case had been politicised by his MDC-T counterparts who want Mazarire reinstated.
Mazarire, who is a member of the MDC-T, said he was yet to be formally notified of the appeal.
“I heard that Council is appealing but we are still waiting for formal communication from the council and my lawyers over the matter,” said Mazarire. news

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Zanu-PF National Youth Secretary, Kudzanai Chipanga has told young people in Masvingo that starting from now onwards, they were free to do gold panning without the risk of being arrested by the police.
Addressing youths who attended a meeting at Masvingo Polytechnic College to mobilise for the so-called one million men march scheduled to take place in Harare in May; Chipanga assured that nobody would be arrested for gold panning because there are no jobs.
“Starting from today no one shall be arrested for gold panning, hapana achasungirwa gold panning endai munoita gold panning yenyu freely hapana anokusungai,” (no one will arrest you, go and do your gold panning activities freely, absolutely no one will arrest you) said Chipanga.
Though government is working to regularise many unregistered artisanal miners, it is still illegal to pan for gold and miners are expected to register with the Mines and Minerals Act and pay a one per cent royalty for gold output.
Chipanga, however, urged youths to work for themselves and buy their own cars and houses and to stop using the party’s name to intimidate people. 
He went on to say that party structures were supposed to be a composition of both males and females, not predominantly male as was the case.
“At district level ladies are intimidated and that is why there are no females in the district leadership. From now onwards, all vacant posts shall be given to ladies until there is gender parity.
“Stop intimidating people using T-shirts and the party’s name; some even refuse to pay bus fare simply because they are wearing Zanu-PF regalia.
He also warned ministers that they should address bread and butter issues and work for the welfare of their people, saying ministers should do something to revamp the economy in line with the mandate given to them by the president.
“We want politics to address bread and butter issues, we need politics that addresses the economy, we don’t need ministers who do nothing because makapiwa basa napresident (you were given an assignment by the president),” said Chipanga.news
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Angry youths who attended a youth meeting at Masvingo Polytechnic College last Thursday told Ministers and MPs that they were tired of politicians’ empty promises which are often not fulfilled.
The meeting was attended by Masvingo youth officers, ordinary youths and some legislators in the province.
Masvingo Province Youth Chairperson Nobert Ndavarombe openly told Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Mahofa and Walter Muzembi, who is the Tourism and Hospitality minister that they were sick and tired of being given empty promises.
“We are tired of empty promises, you promised us land, money for projects and employment but we got nothing,” said Ndavarombe
He said youths want the jobs that they were promised after the 2013 elections as well as land since most of them had families.
“Most of the youths have families and are jobless but you promised them land and jobs. I’m tired of leading people that were given empty promises,” he said amid ululations from the crowd.
He said although the youth salute their leaders, politicians must not take advantage of that to abuse them warning that if politicians continue to lie, they would not be respected any more.
‘We salute you as our leaders but that does not mean you can abuse us. Empowerment motinyima, (you deny us empowerment) land motinyima (you deny us land), maloan motinyima (you deny us loans), next time we won’t respect you.
Ndavarombe claimed some leaders were sympathetic to the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) party and their actions were influencing the youth to turn away from President Mugabe.
“We don’t want leaders who sympathise with People First, and muri kuti zvinhu zvinenge zvabva kuHarare kuna president imi mozvibovera pakati apa muchifunga kuti tichabva pana VaMugabe, manje (You are taking everything that the president would have given us thinking we will turn against him) but this time you won’t suppress our voices.
He warned youth officers whom he said were joining ZPF that he had their names and will expose them when the need arises.
Zanu-PF National Youth Secretary Kudzanai Chipanga told the youths that they should make follow-ups to get what they are promised and urged Masvingo youths to join the one million men march set for May this year.news
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