By Staff Reporter- Staff at Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC)’s Pockets Hill in Harare and Montrose Studios in Bulawayo are reportedly surviving on a daily diet comprising sadza, beans and cabbages, NewZimbabwe.com can reveal.
Sources said the trend has continued for over a year now.
Media personnel covering the ongoing Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) in Harare, were denied allowances to buy lunch for themselves, and are surviving on a burger, 500ml of water and a fizzy drink, the whole day.
With no transport allowance and knockoff time falling way after Public Service Commission (PSC) buses have stopped ferrying commuters, some of the station’s big names at the annual event are being forced to walk into town to get alternative transport.
According to the journalists, ZBC chief executive officer (CEO) Adelaide Chikunguru was to blame.
A letter shared with newsrooms by one of the journalists paints a sad picture of the situation at the public broadcaster.
“When Chikunguru declared war against employees she really meant it and did not waste an opportunity to display her evil heart,” reads the letter.
“She has made it a policy that no one receives an allowance for the ZAS event and that food will be tranported from Pockets Hill to the Showground. The meal consists of a burger, a 500ml fizzy drink and 500ml of mineral water.
“Employees who are toiling in the sun are expected to have this for the whole day, that is 0800hrs-1630hrs; that is if you are lucky to get it because the meals are not even enough for everyone on the ground.”
Others who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said they could not afford to buy better meals for themselves as their salaries were very low.
“We are not paid enough to afford our own lunch,” said the journalist.
“We do not even understand how such a station could find itself in this situation where it fails to feed its own employees as was being done by past administrations.
“If our viewers and listeners knew how some of those they love so much are treated, they would not believe it.”
Poor administration at ZBC has resulted in a demotivated and poorly paid workforce whose quality of work has been evidently shoddy.