Zim experts humiliated at NBC
Corporation back-paddles on living allowances
By Asser Ntinda

Two Zimbabwean television experts who were seconded to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, by that country’s government through an agreement between the two countries have not been paid living allowances for five months.

Cuthline Tendai Tavagwisa and Christopher Chivinge have been working for the NBC as experts to help improve the quality of products at the Corporation, mainly working in the News and Current Affairs Department.

Tendai Tavagwisa arrived in July, while Chivinge arrived in September. They are the brains behind what the NBC Television news looks like today. Namibia and Zimbabwe have a cooperation agreement between the two countries’ min- Zim experts humiliated at NBC Corporation back-paddles on living allowances istries of Information and Communication Technology, through which these two experts were seconded to Namibia, at the request of the NBC.

Under the agreement, the Zimbabwean government would pay their salaries, while Namibia would take care of accommodation, transport and living allowances. Tendai Tavagwisa received N$10,000 on arrival to buy furniture and other house utensils for the house in which they are currently living.

She has never received anything since then. Chivinge has never received a cent from the NBC since his arrival at the NBC in September. At times the two had to be hosted for lunch by sympathetic colleagues at the NBC. They often politely turn down such invitations as they did not want to become a burden on others.

“If you look at what these people have done for the NBC over the past months, you would never think that they deserve to be treated and humiliated so badly like that,” said one NBC employee. “It is inhuman. Zimbabwe is a sister country and we have many things in common.

“We asked for these people to come here. They deserve better. I am not a racist, but why is the NBC so fast to pay “white experts” tens of thousands of dollars at a click of a button but we are humiliating and shunning our own brothers and sisters like this? Everybody can see what these people have done for the NBC.

“The NBC has considerably improved over the past few months. Many people proudly talk about how the NBC has improved, the presentation of news, the new features that we see when we watch news and many others. These are the people who have brought about these changes that we are so proud to be associated with.

“Is that the best way to say ‘thank you’? We are not being fair and humane. I think we should honour our agreement and pay them for what they have done. How will the government of Zimbabwe feel? Something must be done to rectify the situation.”

The two Zimbabweans refused to come to work on Tuesday until their grievances were addressed. And TV news on Tuesday was clearly dull, a sign that they were not there. The dullness on the news sent management running up and down the corridors of the NBC to sort out the problems.

Sources at NBC confirmed that cheques of N$10 000,00 each for the two Zimbabwean experts were made out but were cancelled on the instruction of some senior managers. It is not clear why the NBC has backpaddled on that commitment.

To extend the humiliation further, the NBC did not even bother to invite the two Zimbabwean experts for the end of the year party. However, Tendai Tavagwisa did go, impeccably dressed for the party, only to be sent back in full public view.

“We were ashamed and embarrassed when we saw her being sent back,” said another NBC employee. “We could have simply let her enjoy. She is one of us. She should feel home as part of the family. My heart bled when I saw her being sent back. That public humiliation is unbearable.”

Although Tendai Tavagwisa and Chivinge are here on a one year contract, the secondment agreements which the NBC has worked out for them expire on December 31, 2009. Such secondment agreements can be extended at the “sole discretion” of the NBC.

Tendai Tavagwisa and Chivinge have apparently refused to sign the secondment agreements. They are also engaged in discussions on how they could be paid for the work they have done since July and September respectively. Concerned NBC employees said it would be unfair if the NBC did not pay them for what they had done already.

On Monday and Tuesday, the NBC Board met and discussed the crisis, and agreed to pay the two experts N$10,000 each as living allowance from now on until their secondment agreements expire. But the payments will not be back-dated, which means that the work they have been doing since July and September would not be paid for.

Their secondment agreements expire at the end of this month. It is not clear how long they will be extended. NBC’s Public Relations Chief, Cecil Nguvauva, said he knew “very little” about the agreement. He also did not know that the two Zimbabweans had not been paid since their arrival here.

He also said he was not briefed about the Board’s decision and promised to come back to Namibia Today with more details. He did not. The two Zimbabweans declined to comment when contacted on their mobile phones.

NB: NBC Director General, Matthew //Gowaseb, decline to comment on the issue, saying that it would be better to wait for the Chairperson of the NBC Board, Frieda Shimbuli, to come and clarify the situation. He said it appeared someone was out to vilify and destroy him.