Labour Court reinstates employee who was dismissed for toilet paper theft

FAILED TO PROVE GUILT

- ZELDA VENTER [e-mail]

A WORKER caught with a roll of toilet paper allegedly belonging to his employer in his bag and subsequently fired received good news from the Labour Court when it not only confirmed that he must be reinstated, but he must be paid R120 000 in backpay.

The Labour Court in Cape Town turned down an application by Mpact Operations, where Theodore April worked as a winder operator since 2009 until he was fired, to review an arbitration ruling that he must be reinstated.

Acting Judge M Mkhatshwa ordered that apart from the backpay, which he must receive by the end of February, he must report for work on February 2.

April was fired after he was found guilty at an internal disciplinary hearing after security found a roll of toilet paper in his possession after his shift had ended.

The toilet paper was said to be the same brand as what the company is using.