The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Senior Reporter
DISGRUNTLED civil servants are working on a High Court bid to stop the deduction of money from more than 30 0000 Government workers salaries by loan sharks through the Salary Services Bureau (SSB) stop order system.
One of the loan sharks that have been fingered in the alleged scam is McDowells International (Pvt) Limited, which has since liquidated.
Last year the High Court appointed a provisional liquidator to collect money owed to McDowells by its debtors, among them civil servants who had taken loans.
However, some civil servants, mostly teachers, claim they have been made to pay monthly premiums to service loans from McDowells which they did not take.
Those that took loans from the company claim that the loan shark continues to deduct money from their salaries despite them having finished paying off the loans.
Some claim they are taking home as little as $0,73 after deductions. Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Dr Takavafira Zhou said his union was pursuing a multi-pronged approach to bring the matter to a logical conclusion. Dr Zhou said plans were in motion to lodge another court appeal against the provisional liquidator.
He said all the affected civil servants should get print-outs from the SSB which show payments done via the stop order system and bring them to the union.
“Once we get the print-outs, we will take another legal route and sue the company that is collecting the monies on behalf of McDowells. So we urge all those who have been affected to take their pay-slips to the SSB and get those printouts showing all the payments made,” he said.
Added Mr Zhou, “Over 30 000 civil servants have been affected so far. There could be more. We will continue fighting from every angle until we reach a logical conclusion to this matter.”
In July this year PTUZ wrote to President Mugabe and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya asking for a probe into the matter.
Last month the union had a protest march against McDowells International (Pvt) Limited blocked by police who cited shortage of manpower. The union had planned to march to the SSB and Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in Harare where they wanted to deliver petitions over the continued deduction.
Dr Zhou said the union would continue engaging the police until they are granted permission to hold the protest march.
“This is a case of fraud against honest hard working civil servants. We will continue persuading the police to allow us to carry on with our demonstration, because in reality we are not a threat to public order,” he said.
Turning down the teachers’ planned demo, Officer Commanding Harare Central District Chief Superintendent Jasper Chizemo said, “On the day of the intended march, the Police District will be handling other activities of national interest where deployment of police officers is a priority. As a result we will not be able to provide coverage and protection to yourselves and other members of the society against rowdy elements of the society who may intervene and commit crimes.”
Dr Zhou described as flimsy reasons given by police for not to sanction the initial demo.
