ST ANNE’S Hospital, a private health institution in Harare, last week suspended 22 employees, among them 18 nursing staff, over charges of failing to register with the Nurses’ Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ).
BY WONAI MASVINGISE
But, some of the suspended nurses told NewsDay yesterday the suspensions had more to do with the holding company Caps Holdings’ perennial financial woes.
“The hospital wants to get rid of some workers because it has no money. If they want to retrench, they should do so in a lawful manner, not look for (flimsy) reasons to dismiss people,” a nurse said.
However, Caps Holdings chairman Frederick Mutanda dismissed the allegations by the staff, insisting the suspended nurses had failed to register with NCZ.
“Every year nurses are required to register with the Nurses’ Council. We have got 90 nurses and 18 had not renewed their registration,” Mutanda said.
“They were written warning letters to renew their registration, but they did nothing about it and so they were suspended, not dismissed. Eight of them went and renewed and they had a hearing a few days ago and they are now back. We can’t be having people who do not want to renew their registration. There is no issue. It’s just a matter of registering as professional nurses.”
Caps Holdings head office was earlier this year put on auction for reportedly owing two commercial banks, CBZ and FBC, about $4 million, but the sale was cancelled after some Chinese investor made a bid for $1,5 million for the Manchester Road property.
