A typographical error that replaced a “v” with a “d” on a menu item during the First Family’s flight to the Far East last Friday left four Air Zimbabwe staffers suspended - and a sour taste in the mouth. President Robert Mugabe and the first family, on the Harare-Singapore-China flight last Friday, were handed a menu card where an item should have read “Chimukuyu and Dovi”. But there was a disastrous typo when a ‘d’ replaced the ‘v’. The national airline on Tuesday reacted to the embarrassing stinker of an error by suspending the four employees involved after holding an emergency executive meeting. Air Zimbabwe spokesman David Mwenga yesterday confirmed the suspensions. “We have suspended four staff members pending investigations into operational issues,” said Mwenga who could not be drawn into detailing the “issues” in a terse response to The Financial Gazette. The suspended include Masi Gambanga, the cabin services manager, Victoria Munzara, the acting flight services officer, Chipo Sikireta the secretary to the senior flight operations manager and an unnamed worker who is employed in the airline’s reservations section.
Robert Jr, the President’s second born, reportedly stumbled upon the typo before alerting the veteran liberation war leader and the rest of his travelling party to the embarrassing blunder. First Lady Grace Mugabe was not on the flight, having travelled ahead earlier. Sources said a furious Transport and Communications Minister Chris Mushowe took issue with Air Zimbabwe’s management over the error and summoned the top officials to his offices early this week. The four workers will appear before a disciplinary hearing next week. “They (suspended workers) were served with their suspension letters after submitting reports detailing the incident at around 3 pm,” our source said.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that management has since apologised to the First family, which arrived back home yesterday. The family was on a trip to the Far East, a frequent destination for the President. The national carrier has faced a series of crises in recent years, but this latest one takes its troubles to new depths.
Thank you Robert Jr. No spell check needed for you lad. A mind like a steel trap, 'n chip off die oud block! Smart move splitting the 'command group' and sending Grace out on an earlier lift, one never knows these days.
| Ok, I confess: I don't get it. 'Dodi' versus 'Dovi'. Explain? |