HARARE - Trouble continues to haunt Air Zimbabwe Holdings (Pvt) Limited after four of its former managers were awarded thousands of dollars against the already troubled national airline.

Saddled with debts amounting to millions of dollars, Air Zimbabwe grounded early this year after facing viability problems which included an order by an arbitrator to pay $240 018, 65 to its former employees.

The four former employees are Kingstone Mbape, Stancelous Banda, Charles Muchenje and Charles Mhonderwa.

According to court papers, the four were voluntarily retrenched in 2010, but Air Zimbabwe did not pay them their retrenchment packages as agreed.

The four then took the matter for arbitration, where it was declared that Air Zimbabwe’s action amounted to unfair labour practice.

They have now approached the High Court with an urgent chamber application to register the order in terms of Section 98 (14) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01).

The court heard Air Zimbabwe was supposed to have paid by October 31, this year but failed to do so.

“The respondent (Air Zimbabwe) has clearly not made an effort to comply with the Arbitral Award notwithstanding the fact that the arbitral award has not been suspended or set aside by any superior court,” reads part of the application.

The four told the court that through their lawyer, they had written a letter to Air Zimbabwe on October 4, this year demanding payment but nothing was done.

“This left us with no option except to seek recourse from this honourable court because the Respondent is unyielding.

“The Respondent’s attitude is severely reprehensible,” reads the application. - Tendai Kamhungira