By Staff Reporter
A top City of Harare official has described the working environment at the local authority as highly toxic and dangerous for those willing to do good.
The acting human capital director Bozman Matengarufu laid bare the rampant chaos and lawlessness, abuse of authority at Town House when he appeared before the Retired Justice Cheda Commission of Inquiry.
Matengarufu said: “Yes, you can describe it like that, but myself, I say it’s a toxic environment.”
Mpofu also indicated that council violated its own resolutions by having workers reporting for duty despite that they have cases pending at the courts.
In response, Matengarufu confirmed that nothing was being done to individuals with pending cases.
“When you want to do the right thing, you are penalised for doing the right thing, or you are just ignored. Like I have returned to the temple, I have returned to nobody,” he said.
While Mpofu told the commission that several people had died of poisoning at council, Matengarufu confirmed the incidents, adding that council was yet to prove the causes of death.
“But I am saying the perception is that a few employees have actually been murdered through poisoning. It is true,” Matengarufu said.
“Now that we have a commission that can unveil or bring out all the shenanigans that happened before, obviously you need wisdom.
“The commission will then give recommendations that will help this organisation to start moving on.”
Meanwhile, Matengarufu said he became weak in his role because he wrote to the town clerk giving advice on (suspended human capital director Mathew) Marara and he was shown the letter.
“He did not say anything, but you know, as my boss, the moment he said: ‘I saw what you wrote to the town clerk, you know, maybe that is where I was coming from’, I then became so weak.
“I thought maybe in a week, in two weeks’ time, they will be dealt with, but nothing happened at all, until recently when I was reappointed.
“I mean, when the commission was appointed, that’s why I was saying yesterday, (it becomes very difficult) for me now to execute my duty 100%, given what was now happening and nothing was happening to those I thought were not doing the correct thing.”
Marara admitted to the commission that his position was created illegally.
He is being accused of allegedly creating a Grade 1(b) position under a job evaluation exercise he was in charge of and he was not interviewed.
The position is equivalent to that of the town clerk and has seen Marara receiving luxurious benefits, including a top-of-the-range vehicle.
