Documents Show ZBC CEO Banned WhatsApp Groups
Despite denials by ZBC chief executive officer Adelaide Chikunguru that she had ordered the disbandment of all ZBC WhatsApp groups, a document has surfaced that shows that she indeed banned the groups.
Chikunguru instructed workers at the loss-making state broadcaster to disband all ZBC WhatsApp groups last Friday.
She claimed that employees were using the groups to leak internal communication to the press and social media influencers.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com Saturday, Chikunguru denied ever issuing the directive.
However, a letter from ZBC human resources director one R. Moyo to workers, dated 11 April 2022 shows that Chikunguru ordered the ban. Read the letter:
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All unofficial communication channels have been suspended forthwith and all official communication will be made as guided by the ZBC communication policy.
A social media policy is being drafted and will be shared with all employees.
The policy will be supported by the existing communication policy and will guide the corporation and its employees on how best to use the social platforms.
The letter also revealed that ZBC had ceased paying employees’ COVID-19 allowances in United States dollars and will now pay them in Zimbabwe dollars. Wrote Moyo:
The corporation continues to prioritise employee welfare. To date, a 60% salary increment has been awarded in the first quarter of 2022 (30% in January and 30% in March).
Any future changes to employee salaries will be informed by market trends, salary surveys and the movement aligned to Patterson job grading.
The corporation has resuscitated the old mutual pension scheme and will be communicating the monthly contributions toward the pension scheme.
The ZBC 2022 budget included funds for the procurement of additional buses through the government.
Once approved the buses will alleviate the current challenges being faced. Due to limited inflows of US$, Covid allowances will be paid in ZWL$ to the benefit of the employees.
According to an online source, the Paterson system places job decision-making into six groups or bands – policy-making, programming, interpretive, routine, automatic and defined.
Grade F is the highest level, consisting of top management like the CEO, while Grade A is for unskilled workers.
