SYDNEY MUBAIWA
GOKWE- A Labour Court ruling last week reversed Gokwe Town Council internal auditor Manasseh Mhlolo’s dismissal after he was fired eight months ago.
Mhlolo was dismissed by the local authority over a US$80 the municipality incurred after damages to a council vehicle in an accident.
However, upon attempting to resume his duties on May 20, Mhlolo faced an unexpected resistance from the local authority’s Acting Town Secretary Engineer Melsen Masukume, a move which has been widely criticised as blatant disregard for the court’s ruling.
Mhlolo confirmed the development in an interview with The Midweek Watch.
“It’s very true , am working from the foyer . The Acting Town Secretary is continuously persecuting and victimising me trying to break my spirit so that I won’t do my job but audit is a calling for me.
“This is the job which I have specialised and have 20 years experience on this job so he won’t succeed in breaking my spirit. He is wasting rate payers monies persecuting me for an incident happened in November 2023 before he even joined Gokwe Town Council where I was involved in an accident going to IPSAS training resulting on a minor crack of the fender which Council repaired the vehicle for US$81.
“Am being persecuted for being honest because after the workshop I wrote a report that I had a minor accident and if I had not written that report no one could have noticed that small crack,” he said.
Contacted for a comment Masukume confirmed Mhlolo’s return however, he said they are waiting for a council resolution to allow him entry into his office.
“The court has ordered his return but the issue is now before the council to determine his return. We are going to hold committee meetings and a full council meeting will be held to determine his fate,” he said.
Mhlolo’s case has created sharp divisions within council after the local authority spent more than US$15 000 for a disciplinary hearing committee constituted by people drawn from two other councils, Gweru City Council and Vungu Rural District Council, some 200km away.
According to sources, Mhlolo’s dismissal was a ploy to silence investigations into financial irregularities within the local authority.
“Mhlolo had done nothing wrong. His duty as an auditor is to ensure transparency. You would wonder why council is opposing a court ruling which has ordered him to resume his duties.
“It was not prudent for council to splash thousands of United States Dollars pursuing a US$80 case. We call upon Government through the relevant ministry to come to our rescue and bring sanity at the local authority,” said a source who prayed for anonymity.
Another close source said irregular appointments and poor service delivery have become rampant, with claims that the local authority was prioritising personal interests over public service.
“A lot of irregularities are happening at our council. The recent appointment of unqualified individuals to acting positions has destabilised the local authority.
“Financial mismanagement is also evident, with the local authority reportedly spending over US$15 000 attempting to justify Mhlolo’s dismissal, despite the minor nature of the incident that led to his dismissal.
“In stark contrast, Masukume himself has been involved in three serious car accidents within three months, with damages totaling US$20 000 but nothing has been done to him. His latest accident involves a Chevrolet Trailblazer which was damaged beyond repair and he still remains untouchable.
“Two NP200 vehicles remain non-operational as a result of negligence and lack of servicing compounding the local authority’s operational challenges,” said another source.
Residents however are worried that Mhlolo’s continued obstruction will undermine the internal audit system at council leaving room for unchecked power and abuse.
Gokwe Town Council is under fire from residents as it is struggling to provide meaningful service to ratepayers and paying its workers.
