Garikai Mafirakureva

Mirror Reporter

MASVINGO-The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) Masvingo depot has been hit by accusations of nepotism and sex scandals involving managers and supervisors, according to documents in the hands of The Mirror.

The Mirror has in its hands grievance documents dated June 17, 2022, written to management by the workers’ committee which include corruption, nepotism, incompetency and sexual abuse of female conductors by supervisors and managers.

The workers’ committee chairperson, Mandebvu Mutikizizi, confirmed the workers’ grievances to The Mirror and said that they have since been sent to them Division Operations Manager (DOM), Tinei Rwasoka.

Key among the grievances is that some managers are sleeping with female conductors in exchange for job security. Conductors at ZUPCO are employed temporarily. The grievances, in particular, cite one manager who is said to have slept with almost every female conductor at the depot.

Siyazuza said he is not authorized to speak to the Press.

“I am sorry sir, I am not allowed to talk to the media. I can refer you to my boss. Maybe he is in a better position to comment on that,” said Siyazuza.

ZUPCO chief executive officer Evaristo Madangwa could not be reached for comment as his mobile was not reachable.

Isaac Siyazuza, who was appointed depot manager in April is also accused of inefficiency with 50 out of 67 contracted transport providers withdrawing their kombis in the last three months.

The workers said his tenure has seen ZUPCO withdrawing service from major routes including Masvingo-Mutare, Masvingo-Chiredzi, Masvingo-Bulawayo, Masvingo-Binga, and Buchwa-Harare among others.

Mtikizizi also complained in a grievance form that the human resources manager Yvonne Chemhere is usurping the powers of the workers’ committee by appointing her chairperson and committee members which means all decisions made by management and the workers’ committee are null and void.

Siyazuza who used to work in Bulawayo is said to be removing many workers at the depot and replacing them with those he used to work with in Bulawayo. The document said the depot has relatives and friends of the managers as workers.

“There is a senior officer who slept with most female conductors at Masvingo Depot promising them security at work taking advantage of him being a trainer at the depot. There is also an unfair transfer of senior risk employees to create places for the junior ones he beds,” reads one of the documents.

One the accused managers, Stanford Mbanyiwa, refuted the allegations when conducted for comment. “There is nothing like that,” said Mbanyiwa curtly before dropping the call.https://masvingomirror.com