HARARE — Zimpapers has doubled down on its stance that employees who accept large gifts face dismissal, after a board committee meeting convened in response to a row sparked by controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s largesse towards staff at its Capitalk FM radio station.
The dispute erupted after Capitalk presenter Phathisani Sibanda accepted a car from Chivayo, who also offered $1,000 to each employee in Zimpapers’ radio division. A second vehicle was given to Capitalk station manager Yvonne Tivatye.
Zimpapers’ gifts policy limits acceptable presents to a declared value of $100.
Following a meeting of its Sustainability and Media Ethics Board Committee on Wednesday, Zimpapers issued a notice to staff stating: “The board mandated Zimpapers management and staff to adhere to the company’s Gift Declaration Policy in order to maintain the company’s integrity. Please be guided accordingly.”
Chivayo has attacked Zimpapers over its wage record.
“What upsets me the most is most companies go three or four months without paying workers salaries but superiors raise their big heads and try to apply so-called corporate governance rules when they receive amazing gestures like this,” he wrote on X.
“Salaries on time first and good working conditions then apply your corporate governance later, or else be the first CEO to break those senseless rules.”
He also mocked the company’s $100 gift threshold, claiming the Toyota Fortuner GD6 given to Sibanda had been discounted to $100 and the Toyota Aqua given to Tivatye carried a value of $50.
Beyond the vehicles, Sibanda stands to receive a $150,000 house in Waterfalls, Harare, for a payment of $80. Chivayo also announced interest-free loans of $2,000 each for all 30 Zimpapers radio division employees, repayable over 10 years with a five-year grace period.
“This is a very small transaction, so no security is required and no loan agreement will be signed,” he said.
ZimLive understands Sibanda and Tivatye will be summoned for disciplinary hearings within days after collecting their vehicles, confirmed by a video posted online by Chivayo.
