Staff ReporterAuthorities have suspended a nurse from employment after she allegedly criticised the ruling ZANU PF party for authoring the country’s agonising economic and political crisis.
Senzeni Klaasen is employed as a Sister-in-Charge at Beitbridge District Hospital
Her suspension was confirmed in an August 3 letter written by district medical officer Lenos Samhere who accused the senior nurse of misconduct.
Klaasen was said to have recorded an audio clip uttering “abusive words” and circulating it on social media.
According to the purported audio clip, Klaasen allegedly accused ZANU PF party of causing the mass exodus of Zimbabweans who were going to neighbouring countries in search of greener pastures and seeking medical treatment in countries such as South Africa.
In suspending Klaasen, Samhere charged that he was implementing the provisions of the Health Service Regulations of 2006, which provides that a disciplinary authority may suspend from service a member who would have committed an act of misconduct or is subject to a criminal investigation or prosecution and whose continued attendance at work would seriously impair the proper administration or functioning of the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
After her suspension, Klaasen’s said she had received death threats from unknown individuals while relatives received a phone call from Zimbabwe Republic Police officer requesting information regarding the whereabouts of her children.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have since written to the Officer–in-Charge at the Law and Order Section at Beitbridge police station saying they will hold them responsible should anything happen to their client and her children.
