A PREMIER Service Medical Investments (PSMI) loss control supervisor, Bernard Chatindivara, who was stationed at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo, committed suicide on Saturday after being overwhelmed by debts he accrued while doing company business.
PSMI national workers committee chairperson Munyaradzi Nharaunda confirmed the death, adding that the deceased would be buried at his rural area in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central province, tomorrow.
Chatindivara joined PSMI in June 2012.
“Yes a fellow employee who was a loss control region B supervisor committed suicide in Bulawayo. He had no fuel for his vehicle to move around, and as a result he borrowed money for that. The debts accumulated and the company failed to pay the debts yet he was doing its business,” Nharaunda said.
“He was also being threatened by the workers whom he caught doing wrong things. He received death threats. He once lodged a complaint over (the issue and requested) to be transferred. We even liaised with our management, but it resisted. We don’t know what happened, but eventually he committed suicide.”
Nharaunda said PSMI workers blamed their employer for failing to address their salary concerns. The company has for many months been at loggerheads with its employees over salary arrears.
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Some of the workers are reportedly being evicted from their lodgings over rental arrears.
It is alleged that on February 6, Chatindivara wrote to the acting loss control manager Caesar Nyamajiwa telling him about the death threats he received for exposing theft at the company.
“On January 23, I submitted a report on the missing spare wheels, battery and the waste damaged properties vehicle NP200 with registration number AEN 0831, which I copied to Mr S Dhliwayo who forwarded the report to Sibonginkosi Ndlovu to respond. During the process, Ndlovu forwarded the report to Itai Mapasure who was not entitled to see it and after seeing it he started to hunt me and threatened to fight or kill me.
“Ndlovu had no right whatsoever in his capacity to release the confidential information to Itai. The case is still under investigation by investigation officer Constable Moyo from Bulawayo Central under reference number IR633/23,” he wrote.
He then sought urgent transfer to Harare saying he no longer felt safe working in the region but his request was shot down.
Meanwhile, PSMI workers have written to Health and Child Care minister Constantino Chiwenga requesting dissolution of the board for allegedly running down the company.