OK Zimbabwe boss threatened with legal action

Published: 12 November 2013

FORMER workers of Makro Zimbabwe have written to OK Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Willard Zireva threatening legal action over disputed alleged defamatory comments he made about them.

The dispute follows remarks Mr Zireva made after former Makro workers complained that OK Zimbabwe had changed the terms and conditions of employment after taking over the South African retailer contrary to agreements prior to the takeover.

According to the workers, the alleged downward variations to the terms and conditions of employment by OK relate to medical aid benefits, canteen food payments, accrued pension benefits, salary increments and company transport among others.

Responding to questions from the Press on the former Makro workers' claims that OK had varied conditions of employment, Mr Zireva dismissed the claims as a gripe from individuals frustrated by failure to breach strong internal risk control systems.

OK Zimbabwe took over Makro after the Massmart subsidiary indicated that it was facing viability challenges.

The Zimbabwean retailer then bought Makro's assets and took over all former Makro workers on the same terms and conditions of service.

Mr Zireva said the ex-Makro staff paid themselves by pilfering from the employer until the takeover by OK in 2007 since Makro was broke and could not pay them.

The aggrieved workers said Mr Zireva's unsubstantiated remarks that they stole from their former employer were defamatory, which jeopardised their prospects for future employment.

Through their lawyers, Ngarava, Moyo and Chikono Legal Practitioners, the workers said they are quantifying the damages in view of the number of employees involved.

"We had sight of the newspaper article wherein Mr Zireva himself indicated that they used to steal from the former company. An attempt was made to have the contents retracted to no avail".

"Our client is of the view that the newspaper article was highly defamatory and jeopardised their prospects of getting employment in future as in the eyes of the public and future employers they are now being viewed as thieves," the lawyers wrote.

They said that since Mr Zireva did not specify whether he was commenting in his official or personal capacity the workers felt that he should be personally liable.

"We are still in the process of quantifying the damages in view of the numbers involved, in the meantime we anticipate to have an amicable settlement," said workers.

The workers want the takeover of Makro revisited by authorities as they claim they were not fully informed about or consulted over the takeover of Makro by OK.
- herald