ZCTU calls for protests over SalaryGate

via ZCTU calls for protests over SalaryGate – Nehanda Radio Feb 14, 2014

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called for peaceful demonstrations against the SalaryGate Scandal that saw top executives and board members in state owned enterprises award themselves obscene salaries.

A statement seen by Nehanda Radio and signed by ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo called upon “citizens of this country to resist this evil by peacefully demonstrating to show their disapproval and anger.”

“This is the time to act and support the political voices that have constantly called for the eradication of corruption in Zimbabwe,” Matombo said.

“We note with concern the reported pilfering, misappropriation and looting of parastatals, local authorities and other government institutions.

“As the representative of the majority of workers in Zimbabwe, we want to stress that it is not only the unearthing of these heinous scandals which should be done but the decisive corrective action which is necessary to avoid recurrence and deter would be looters,” Matombo said.

Matombo said punitive action by the legal system should not only bear on rapists like Pastor Gumbura and the 290 years jail term rapist, Thomas Brighton Chirembwe, but also descend heavily on the rapists of our economy such as Cuthbert Dube, Happison Muchechetere and others.

“We demand urgent redress to this cancer which is hemorrhaging our nation whilst the majority of our citizens suffer. We call upon the relevant authorities to investigate the boards of all parastatals. The PSMAS board must immediately resign as a sign of respect to the nation. Mr Luxon Zembe is not the solution as he sat the previous board,” Matombo added.

President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba raked in over $100 000 last year from the scandal-ridden Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) despite claiming he was the least paid person on the board.

Charamba who doubles up as presidential spokesman and Permanent Secretary in the Information Ministry was a key board member, including serving on the finance and budget committee that approved PSMAS CEO Cuthbert Dube’s obscene US$500 000 in monthly salaries, benefits and allowances.

It was also under his watch as Permanent Secretary in the Information Ministry that the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) paid the now suspended CEO Happison Muchechetere a whooping $40 000 a month even though workers at the debt-ridden broadcaster went for months without being paid.

ZBC is currently saddled with a $44,3 million debt amid revelations at least 500 workers will have to be retrenched in a restructuring exercise meant to turnaround the public broadcaster.