BY JAMES MUTASA

Benson Sipeyara a former worker’s committee chairperson for Afrochine Smelting Private Limited is crying foul following his dismissal after he was hoodwinked by the employer to snub his trade union and appeared alone before the Disciplinary Hearing Committee facing a fatal allegation of serious violation of safety rule.

Sipeyara told The Worker that he was advised by the Human Resources and Administration Manager Curtis Wang that the hearing proceedings were only a formal process meant to appease his supervisor a Wang who had raised the charge against him.

“Curtis told me that there was no need to invite James Nesvinga of the National Union of Metal and Allied Industries of Zimbabwe to come and represent me in the hearing,” said a teary Sipeyara.

“In the hearing,’ added Sipeyara, ‘Curtis said that l should plead guilty and then ask for forgiveness. We had agreed that after pleading guilty and asking for forgiveness Curtis and other Chinese Nationals would then engage Wang urging him to forgive me and drop the charge against me”.

Sadly, for Sipeyara who fulfilled his side of the agreement by pleading guilty and asking for forgiveness in the hearing, Curtis reneged on his part and ordered the Disciplinary Hearing Committee to dismiss Sipeyara arguing that he had violated health and safety regulation which is a dismissible offence. 

“Benson Sipeyara openly admitted that he had willingly violated safety regulations and this is a serious offence. We did not expect that from the worker’s committee chairperson whom we have sent to various safety trainings and workshops,” Curtis said.

Curtis denied that he had advised Sipeyara to plead guilty and not to call the union representative, “I cannot tell a trade union member who is also a worker’s committee chairperson who to represent him”.

Hennery Tarumbira, NUMAIZ General Secretary told The Worker that they had sent their legal advisor James Nesvinga who is based in Gweru to Afrochine Smelting to go and represent the Sipeyara against a fatal charge of violating safety regulations but Nesvinga was denied entrance as Sipeyara and Curtis had instructed that the union should not be allowed to enter.

“Our legal advisor was barred from attending the hearing despite the fact that he had traveled all the way from Gweru to Selous specifically for that hearing. Sipeyara was misled by the employer at the 11^th hour and he chose to ignore our advice,” Tarumbira said.