Zimpapers Logo

Blessings Chidakwa
Herald Reporter

Several workers at Mega Pak who were dismissed are up in arms with their employer for unfair discharge of duties in the guise of retrenchment citing victimisation and hostile working environment.

Apart from the dismissal of the employees, confidential documents showed that the firm also stood accused of charging using the parallel market despite being allocated between US$100 000 to $150 000 at the auction floor weekly.

As at June 7, a product charged for US$367 was being sold at $2 243 814, 22 cents implying it being sold at a rate of $6 113 against the official one which was at $3 673, 77.

President Mnangagwa on Monday during the Zanu PF’s Politburo meeting said price manipulators should face jail term as they are reversing the gains of the Second Republic.

According to the retrenchment letters in possession of our publication the dismissal was effective on June 3 for 53 employees, including three managers, three supervisors and two auditors.

“This letter serves as notice of intention to terminate your contract of employment with Mega Pak Zimbabwe through a retrenchment in terms of section 12c of the Labour Act.

“The termination is with effect from June 3, 2023,” reads one of the letters.

Mega Pak general manager, Walter Muzunde yesterday refused to entertain this publication.

“I am not authorized to speak to the press. You can contact our head office,” he said.

While efforts to contact the head office based in South Africa was futile, however, on Monday Muzunde was quoted in our sister paper, H-Metro expressing ignorance about the retrenchment.

“I am not aware of any retrenchment of employees. None of our workers were retrenched,” he said.

The retrenched workers also said there was no justification for their retrenchment as the firm was making profits amounting to millions of US dollars.

“Between October 2022 to April this year $10 338 740 330, 51 cents was realised which was almost equivalent to US$1 million at the prevailing interbank rate of $1 047 at that time,” complained one of the employees.

Another employee suspected an act of sabotage to the Government.

“Imagine it’s just two months before the elections and we are just victimized for no reason. What do they want to achieve? The company is making profits so we are worried about the unfair dismissal,” said the worker.

The procurement department was cited as the least performing which is draining the firm with officials buying raw materials which are never used including the high-density polymer material.

A source said the general manager received word from South Africa advising them to cut costs.

“The management panicked and retrenched 53 employees fearing that the axe might fall on them since they are the ones earning hefty perks.

“Among the 53 retrenched employees were three managers, three supervisors and two auditors,” said the source.

Mega Pak is a subsidiary of Nampak Zimbabwe , an entity which is listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange