AT US$500 000 per month including perks, Cuthbert Dube is probably the highest chief executive officer in Zimbabwe.
When I read about his salary, I thought the writer had made a mistake and put too many zeros.
His monthly salary is more than President Obama’s annual salary of about US$400 000 per annum or US$33 333 per month; and twice Prime Minister David Cameron’s annual salary of £142 500 (in 2010).
In the UK, his salary could buy him a decent three-bed terraced or a semi-detached house every month.
This is how bizarre his earnings are.
Some of the PSMAS former employees now living and working in the UK have expressed that they were let down by Cuthbert Dube, who, they allege, forced them to take packages and at early retirement or risk being fired, when he took over the PSMAS.
Almost all those that contacted me said they were forced by circumstances to come to the UK where they are now doing untold jobs.
They said they walked away with pittance packages and lost their pensions and medical aid.
They are preparing to write a petition to the Government demanding justice from Cuthbert Dube and PSMAS.
Abigail (former PSMAS employee, London): “Takanzi dead wood ibvai, after working for the PSMAS for 18 years.
“We were forced to take packages or get fired.
“We were given pittance, no medical aid.
“There was no negotiation.
“Takangoita walk out.
“In fact, Dube did not give us any choice at all.
“It was clear that he did not want anyone who had worked for PSMAS for 10 years or longer to remain with the company.
“Those he retained and put in his board were either his relatives or close friends.
“We were forced to come here (UK) to make ends meet.
“I have never heard of salaries of US$200 000 per month before!
“I would have wanted to live in Zimbabwe, but because of the way we were treated I had to leave the country and come here to make ends meet.
“He did not give us a choice; I would have wanted to remain in my country and continue working until retirement age.
“I was much happier at home.
“For the 16 years that I have been here, I lost life with my children who I left behind in Zimbabwe.
“I was not a lazy person, but a hardworking person.
“Ane zvivindi kuzvitambirisa half a million when others around him are starving.
“Chiiko?
“Kusatya Mwari here?
“Civil servants struggle with medical aid payments because someone is looting their contributions.
“If I get US$500 000 I will plan my whole life.
“The big question is, was the Government not aware of this scandal?
“As former employees we should have been given life-time medical aid as our packages.
“But no, he wouldn’t allow us to get that.
“My mother died recently of cancer because she could not access treatment in time because I had no medical aid to cover her.
“When I went to the PSMAS to negotiate a medical aid in 2011, I expected them to give me preferential treatment as a long-term former employee, but alas, I was told that the medical aid would only become valid after paying at least six months contributions.
“In the end we used our resources to pay privately and she died.
“I want justice.
“Why should he be given a package when he denied others such?
“I think the Government should seize his assets.
“We should all come together (ex-employees) and petition PSMAS and the Government to redress our wrongs, we want our pensions.
“PSMAS is a non-profit organisation…”
Irene (Birmingham, also ex-PSMAS employee): “I worked for the PSMAS from May 1 1981 as a filing clerk and rose through the ranks.
“We were working day and night.
“I worked half of my adult life for that organisation, only to be robbed when Cuthbert Dube came in as an auditor.
“I think akaona kuti taiona too much and he decided to get rid of us.
“He came up with some flimsy reasons about qualifications and education only because he wanted to get rid of us.
“There was a guy, Mr Kelly, who used to work in the computer department.
“He was told he did not have a degree so he had to leave, and he brought in someone who had a degree, but who had to be trained in computers.
“I had received a long service award before, but all that did not matter to him, our experience, when he gave us no option, but to leave with a meagre package.
“My pension was only US$1 100; I went to Old Mutual in 2012 to ask how much my pension was and that is what they told me.
“I never bothered to get it.
“We left with no medical aid.
“Imagine when I went to Zimbabwe in 2012, I broke my leg and I had to return to the UK immediately for an operation, because I had no medical aid to help me in Zimbabwe, yet I worked half my adult life for a medical aid company.
“When Dube laid us off, hapana akaenda willingly.
“My life has changed for the worse.
“I cannot say I have a better life here.
“I wanted to work for the PSMAS till my retirement.
“I wanted to live in my country and not to come here.
“I only came here to survive so that I could look after my children.
“But, hausi ihwo hupenyu hwandaida.
“I know he will argue that we took packages, but what packages?
“We had no choice.
“He got rid of old staff and brought in his new team that he could steal with.
“Isu taizomuongorora.
“I heard he owns a 20 percent stake in the PSMAS.
“It is a private company, a private shop.
“Hachisi chitoro chekwaManyere ichi.
“I feel sorry for the civil servants who struggled to pay the contributions which he looted.
“But I think he has accomplices within the Government because they could not let him steal and get away with it.
“I think the best way is not to put him in jail, but to make him pay (restitution). “Ngaaendewo asina package.
“Why should he be rewarded for stealing?
“Justice should prevail and I think we need to petition the right people.”
Gelly (also a former PSMAS employee and lives in the UK): “I worked for a very long time for the PSMAS (1983 to 1999).
“I was forced to take early retirement package, with no lifetime medical aid.
“We were given a medical aid cover for only a year.
“New employees who came after us, those brought in by Dube, have benefits and good salaries.
“I think there are some good things that Dube did to the organisation, for example, making it expand and be attractive to people in the private sector.
“I think he should have kept the old staff since he expanded the organisation and brought in new people.
“Our experience should have been considered.
“US$200 000 per month is an insult to me.
“It cost me my job.
“I came here to pick up the pieces and move on, but not because I was happy to be here.
“I am not happy here.
“Dube has to be punished.
“The whole board must be fired and their assets taken to pay the debts.
“I am in for a petition.
“All those that were forced to retire with no pension must come together and petition the Government.
“There must be some form of justice…”