Ex Zimra boss’ 30-Day legal escape plan fails

Nyashadzashe Ndoro – Chief Reporter

The Supreme Court has shut the final door on former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Human Capital boss Bright Gunzo, upholding his dismissal and rejecting his attempt to use a 30-day legal technicality to escape the sack.

In a ruling that sends a broader message about accountability, the judges said employees cannot deliberately stall disciplinary proceedings and then cry foul when the process takes too long. For Gunzo, this means his dismissal from ZIMRA is final—his last appeal has been thrown out, and he must also pay the costs of his failed fight.

Gunzo faced allegations ranging from recruitment irregularities and payroll mismanagement to refusing lawful instructions. He was suspended, first with pay and later without, before being dismissed after a disciplinary hearing.

Instead of fighting the charges head-on, Gunzo leaned on section 101(6) of the Labour Act, which requires disciplinary matters under a workplace code to be finalized within 30 days, after which they can be referred to a labor officer. His argument was simple: the Disciplinary Committee had lost jurisdiction because the 30 days had lapsed.

Justices Chinembiri Bhunu, Nicholas Mathonsi, and Samuel Kudya dismissed the tactic outright.

“A party who causes a delay … cannot rely on the provision to allege lack of jurisdiction,” they ruled, making it clear that the 30-day rule is there to prevent injustice, not to provide loopholes for those seeking to dodge accountability.

On his claim that his right to legal representation was violated when his chosen lawyer was unavailable, the court was equally blunt: postponements are a privilege, not a right. A substitute from the same law firm had appeared, and that satisfied the requirement.