Sexual Harassment Allegations Against TM Pick n Pay Manager
"Uchazviona, mira hako uone uchaona kwazvichasvika urikuenda kumba"
Sexual Harassment Allegations Against TM Pick n Pay Manager
A matter has been brought before the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) against some male managers at one of the biggest retail outlets in Zimbabwe, TM Pick n Pay for allegedly pestering female subordinates for unwanted requests for intimacy.
Robson Mhandu & Sexual Harassment in the Media
ZGC chief executive officer Virginia Muwanigwa confirmed that investigations into the TM Pick n Pay sexual harassment scandal were underway but she declined to divulge the details.
Muwanigwa said:
The investigation is still underway so we cannot comment.
I am still passing your request to our Investigations Department.
TM Pick n Pay managing director Malcolm Mycroft did not respond to request for a comment.
The retail company’s Marondera branch manager Mark Machadu also ignored questions sent via WhatsApp. But he read the questions as evidenced by blueticks.
Sexual Harassment Allegations Against TM Pick n Pay Manager
However, according to the complaints sent to the ZGC, Portia Rangwani and Beverly Chakangara were allegedly cornered by TM Pick n Pay Marondera assistant branch manager Gondai Mudzimu.
The complainant is raising allegations of sexual harassment emanating from unwanted proposals of love and requests for sexual favours.
She (Rangwani) alleges that he (Mudzimu) is in the habit of making these proposals to female staff members and that denial of the advances leads to false charges being laid upon the staff and subsequent dismissals.
He (Mudzimu) had started his advances through love proposals sometime in 2021 and would continually ask for a response to his unwanted advances.
On this day, she alleges the following:
As the GMD Section Manager, she has two supporting staff to assist with her duties.
Between September and October 2022, a decision was made to cut the number of staff in the store including one from her department because the management felt she was active in her department and could be trusted to manage the section without challenges.
The document reads:
On 16 January 2023 she was the only one manning her section as she had offered her subordinate the first opportunity to clear her overtime hours.
She was at work by 7am and was busy with repricing goods after the back-to-school promotion was over, when she was called to the platform by the respondent.
She pushed her trolley of goods to the platform and the Respondent went on to ask her about her response to his request for a love relationship with her.
She pushed her trolley back to her aisle and he proceeded to follow her to her section and started pleading with her to accept his proposals stating that she needed a man/husband.
She avers that she told him that he was disturbing her in her duties and that she could not possibly engage in a love affair with her co-worker.
Rangwani alleges that after “the fruitless attempts” Mudzimu changed tactics and gave her keys and directed her to the Receiving department.
It is alleged that Mudzimu once threatened Rangwani saying:
Uchazviona, mira hako uone uchaona kwazvichasvika urikuenda kumba.
Rangwani also accused of Mudzimu of retaliating by laying “false charges” against her, which saw her being dragged before a disciplinary hearing for insubordination.
She alleged that love proposals and harassment were “so rampant and involve the branch manager and that the respondent said to her:
Urikuramba iye mukuru akaroora pano, tisu takazvitanga here pano.
Chakangara also laid the same accusations against Mudzimu.
Mudzimu could not be reached for comment.
Source| HarareLive
