Source: Ex-workers secure High Court order against Pioneer Coaches – herald
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
NINE former employees of Pioneer Coaches (Pvt) Ltd have finally secured an executable judgment after successfully registering a Labour Court award with the High Court, paving the way for the Sheriff of the High Court to attach the company’s assets should it fail to settle the debt.
The workers, who are represented by their lawyer, Mr Moses Kavhumbura of Kavhumbura Law Chambers, have been battling for justice since their dismissal in 2020.
They obtained the order on June 24, 2026, after the High Court in Harare registered a Labour Court judgment that awarded them damages in lieu of reinstatement.
The applicants are Joshua Chibuda, Stanley Mdege, Felias Mupindu, Denis Mafuwa, George Kanyera, Michael Kanovava, Isaac Nhemwa, Albert Mugogororo and Willie Saidi.
In a default judgment granted by Justice Jacob Manzunzu under case number HCH946/26, the High Court ordered that Labour Court judgment LC/H/153/24, issued by Justice Godfrey Musariri on April 5, 2024, be registered as an order of the High Court.
The court further ordered Pioneer Coaches to comply with the designated agent’s certified financial computations and pay the former employees within seven days of the order.
According to the judgment, Joshua Chibuda is entitled to US$20 914,62, Stanley Mdege US$21 421,40, Felias Mupindu US$19 836,04, Denis Mafuwa US$19 708,19, George Kanyera US$24 193,39, Michael Kanovava US$21 153,46, Isaac Nhemwa US$19 843,23, Albert Mugogororo US$20 915,05 and Willie Saidi US$16 736,42.
The company was also ordered to pay the costs of suit on the attorney-client scale.
The latest development marks the culmination of a lengthy legal battle that began after the employees were dismissed following disciplinary proceedings they argued were unfair and unlawful.
The workers challenged their dismissals before the Labour Court and, in October 2022, the court nullified the dismissals and ordered Pioneer Coaches to conduct fresh disciplinary hearings within 30 days.
The transport company was given the option of reinstating the employees or paying damages as agreed by the parties or determined by the Labour Court.
However, the employees later returned to the Labour Court, arguing that Pioneer Coaches had neither reinstated them nor paid damages.
They also disputed the company’s claim that fresh disciplinary hearings had been conducted.
Pioneer Coaches maintained that it had invited the employees to new disciplinary hearings and that they failed to attend, resulting in their lawful dismissal.
In his ruling, Justice Musariri noted that the company relied on notifications dated November 10, 2022, inviting the employees to hearings scheduled for November 17, 2022, in Harare.
The judge found that Pioneer Coaches had failed to provide evidence proving that the hearings were actually conducted, such as minutes of proceedings or subsequent termination letters.
As a result, the court ordered that damages payable to the employees be calculated through the relevant National Employment Council.
The company subsequently appealed against the Labour Court ruling to the Supreme Court.
However, the appeal was dismissed after a panel comprising Justices Chinembiri Bhunu, Samuel Kudya and Joseph Musakwa ruled that the matter had been abandoned and removed it from the court roll.
Pioneer Coaches was also ordered to bear the costs of the appeal.
Despite the dismissal of the appeal, the company allegedly failed to satisfy the judgment, forcing the former employees to approach the High Court for registration of the Labour Court order to facilitate execution.
With the registration now complete, the employees are legally entitled to instruct the Sheriff of the High Court to execute the judgment through attachment and sale of the company’s assets should Pioneer Coaches fail to settle the amounts ordered by the court.
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