TINASHE MAKICHI
Sacked Harare City Council (HCC) human capital director, Cainos Chingombe, has won his case against the local authority after the Labour Court ruled that his contract of employment was unlawfully terminated, Business Times can report.
Chingombe, was suspended in 2017 together with the then acting Town Clerk, Josphine Ncube, Dr Prosper Chonzi (health services) and Tendai Kwenda (finance director) on suspicion of financial abuse.
But, Chingombe was reinstated in November last year.
His reinstatement, however, caused rifts within the council and was eventually fired in April this year.
He took the matter to the Labour Court under case number LC/H/APP/178/20.
The Labour Court, under judgment number LC/H/44/2021, ruled in favour of Chingombe.
This means, for HCC to get rid of Chingombe now, the local authority will have to pay him a hefty golden handshake.
Multiple sources told Business Times this week that HCC has been bungling several human resource cases at the same time disregarding internal legal advice at the expense of service delivery.
It is understood that several former council directors have now taken HCC to court as most cases are said to have been handled emotionally.
Some executives are said to have been removed from the payroll without Local Government Board approval.
“The latest win by Chingombe on the issue of outstanding benefits and dues is the same case that he got arrested for. There are other directors who have since taken City Council to court and judging with the way HCC disregarded internal legal advice, the local authority might end up losing millions of dollars in litigation.
“Most human resource cases are being handled in an emotional manner and this is likely going to cost the local authority in the long run. Council is currently being led by inexperienced and ambitious executives in acting capacities,” one source said.
He added: “There is a leadership crisis in HCC which as a result of emotional decisions by councillors driven by over ambitious officials acting in higher positions to manage out senior executives has led to HCC’s dismal performance in terms of service delivery. The current Acting officials are sympathetic to the senior officials and Councillors arrested for land scams (corruption).”
