A 61-year-old man who worked for close to 30 years as a caretaker at St Peters Anglican Church in Mabelreign is bitter after the church threw him and his family out of a cottage he had been occupying.
Miphy Madziire has been tossed into the freezing cold with his wife and children following a protracted labour dispute with the parish.
Madziire and his wife and children have been living in the open since Tuesday after the Sheriff’s department evicted him from the church cottage which he had occupied for the past 29 years.
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Speaking to NewsDay on Wednesday, Madziire said he felt cheated by the church, which he served selflessly for close to 30 years. He said:
Last year, the church advised me that they wanted to retire me but we did not agree on the gratuity due to me.
Madziire had been earning a paltry US$25 per month, which was only reviewed to US$32 last year.
He was offered US$300 as gratuity, which he rejected and after engaging a lawyer, the offer was increased to US$1 800, but Madziire feels the figure is still too low.
Also at the centre of the battle is a 300m stand in Norton which the couple bought and paid for in full.
Madziire said he paid over US$5 000 to the diocese but to date, he has not been given the title deeds to the property.
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He said the church had even promised to build him a house at the Norton stand as a way of thanking him for his loyal service but reneged on its pledge.
St Peters Reverend-in-charge Noel Magaya referred all queries to the church lawyer, Patony Musendo, who maintained that the church had acted within the confines of the law.
Musendo said the church opted to retire Madziire because he was no longer able to perform his duties.
He said the church was willing to engage his other son to take over from his father, but he refused.
However, Madziire said his son was told that the post required someone with five O-Level passes, which he did not have.
On the Norton stands, Musendo said these were managed by the diocese and, therefore, the authorities at St Peter’s had no influence on the issue.