Two interesting points in this article:
- although last year's Faithwear series wasn't televised that we're aware of, there were cameras present for the matches - would be interesting to see some of that footage...
- the TV crews the covered the Bangladesh series are still expecting an Indian visit.
FREELANCE television crew members from Zimbabwe have cried foul over Zimbabwe Cricket's decision not to pay them allowances equal to their South African counterparts.
The 15 crew members are filming the Zimbabwe-Bangladesh five One Day series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
What further riles them is that a senior ZC official was overheard saying he would rather pay US$5 to a South African than US$2 to a local.
When contacted for comment last night Shingai Rhuhwaya the ZC spokesperson professed ignorance of the plight of the technicians.
"I am not aware of that. I will find out and come back to you," said Rhuhwaya.
The freelancers yesterday said they were infuriated by ZC's insensitivity to their plight, as they were not getting any daily allowances. They said even contracts were not signed in Harare before they came to Bulawayo and they had just been made available with a strong appeal for leniency from ZC that the organisation does not have money.
"First they said all senior managers are in Bulawayo and we should come without signing contracts. When we got here our allowances were cut from US$150 for the Sri Lanka tour to US$70 a day. Our per diems were US$50 per day but ZC wanted to pay us US$15 which we were not happy with.
"Now they are saying they do not have money and can only pay R7 100 for the 13 days in Bulawayo while our South African counterparts are getting R28 600. This figure is separate from the per diems," said one of the affected Zimbabweans.
Chronicle has a copy of a contract for what one South African was paid.
Zimbabweans were 90 percent of the labour force that did the Sri Lanka tour. Only about 10 percent were South Africans.
"Despite doing the Faithwear series well which ZC used footage to seek more funding from the International Cricket Council, we have been reduced in numbers as Zimbabweans and working without contracts.
"The morale is low and the feeling among most of us is that we should boycott filming the last day of the competition. They seem to have an I-do-not-care attitude," said the source flanked by some of his workmates.
The South Africans are providing two cameramen, video co-ordinator, vision mixer, graphics mixer, director and production manager.
There were five Zimbabwean cameramen, one videotape operator, two runners and five engineers working at Queens during the Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh series.The technical staff are not happy that the contracts presented to them on Monday and signed by Nesta Vaki who heads the organisation's human resources department stated that they would be paid on 21 August.
"This is deliberate. They give us contracts on the eve of the last match so that we complete our task. We can surprise them by downing tools because they have not acted in good faith.
"They have no respect for locals. Lawrence Maphosa who was the vision mixer and director of the Sri Lanka match was left in the cold. We have overheard some of the South Africans condemning the ZC outside broadcast van with a view of their own company being hired for future jobs like the India tour that follows. That unit is still usable and can have a few touch-ups, it's a way for people to deny ZC better revenue. ZC has money, look at the number of people staying at the Holiday Inn and those who came for the awards.
"We technicians are having meals at Queens with some Harare cricket writers, while ZC management and staff are all staying and eating at the hotel. We were just given accommodation and we have no single cent for laundry under the arrangement," said another of the two sources.