HCC suspensions expose heated tussling

THE suspension of eight municipal police officers at Harare City Council (HCC) has exposed serious fights at the local authority, where some senior managers are reportedly pushing the council to transfer traffic police duties to City Parking.

The eight officers were suspended pending disciplinary hearings on allegations of extorting money from motorists they arrested for traffic violations.

In interviews yesterday, some of the affected workers claimed that they had been unfairly suspended.

“There are some serious fights because there is a bid to tarnish the image of traffic police officers by some senior managers so that the duties can be given to City Parking,” one of the suspended officers claimed.

“Some of our duties have been taken up by City Parking and we have been reduced to robot (traffic lights) traffic officers.”

City Parking is wholly owned by HCC, whose head of communications officer, Stanley Gama could neither deny nor confirm the allegations.

Gama, however, said municipal police and City Parking employees should complement each other.

“I am very sure they will be well represented by the workers committee and they have the support if they want to bring their lawyers,” Gama said.

“City Parking is a private company owned by council, but with the council traffic police they are supposed to complement each other.

“I don’t know where the fights are. If ever there are serious fights, this should come to the attention of our managers.”

Mayor Jacob Mafume was coy when contacted for comment.

“I can not dispute the allegations, but I was not involved when all this happened,” Mafume said

HCC currently came under the spotlight after appointing a former police commissioner, Obeylaw Moyo, as the new executive manager in town clerk Hosiah Chisango’s office despite his brush with the law over stands.