Twenty dismissed Chitungwiza municipality workers, who were arrested last Friday for staging a public protest at the council offices, failed to appear in court Tuesday as expected because their papers were not in order.
Ephraim Katsinha, a representative of the dismissed workers, said police had initially opened one docket for all the former workers accused of contravening a court order barring them from getting anywhere near council offices.
"They are saying that these people were on an interdict and they are in contempt of court, but we are also saying the number of people in this interdict are only three and the other 17 are not on the interdict," Katsinha said.
It later emerged that only three of the dismissed workers contravened that order. The former workers were currently out of police custody awaiting the finalization of their court case.
The dismissed council employees were camping at the municipal premises demanding their outstanding salaries backdating to 2014.
Katsinha said despite the arrests and the court order, the 234 former workers will continue to picket at the council offices until their demands are met.
"The former workers are saying they are not going to throw in the towel. They are still going to continue camping at the municipal offices because they are not paid anyway," he added.
He said the former workers only want their outstanding salaries before they demand their terminal benefits.
