Gweru Council suspends activist Selipiwe over Daily News article

Selipiwe, in checkered blue shirt

The local authority here has suspended outspoken Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) Cornelia Selipiwe over utterances made to The Daily News, Gweru Today can reveal.

Also a council employee and spokesperson for the militant council workers union, dubbed Boko Haram, Selipiwe was suspended yesterday without pay and benefits for allegedly 'committing an act of conduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfillment of the express or implied conditions' of his contract of employment.

Council workers on strike

Wrote Acting Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Praymore Mhlanga: "...on 27 January 2016 you published in the Daily News a statement which is calculated to bring the employer or other person into hatred, dishonour or which gave the impression that some wrongful conduct or breach of the law has been committed."

Eng Mhlanga, indicated that the move was in terms of Section 6 (1) of the Labour (National Employment Code of Conduct) Regulations Statutory Instrument 15/06.

He added that charges with the detailed misconducts are being prepared, and would be served to Selipiwe within the shortest possible time.

Selipiwe was also asked to furnish council with a written response to the allegations within 48 hours.

For the duration of his suspension, Selipiwe will not be allowed to enter council premises save by invitation or for the purposes of attending any disciplinary hearing.


The activist said his lawyers were preparing a response, but scorned the local authority for having suspended him over his freedom of expression as a residents' organization spokesperson.

"I questioned where council put the $20 per household that it collected for purchasing new water pipes last year, and how much the three-men commission headed by former Masvingo Town Clerk Tsunga Mhangami, was getting, following the suspension of 15 Gweru councillors and firing of three other elected leaders last August by Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere on allegations of incompetence and corruption," said Selipiwe.