Council under fire for ignoring pay order

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

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 “I raised this issue a long time ago, questioning how a committee can convene when there is a letter affecting employees and the council. If we continue making payments or operating under a structure that the Local Government Board has declared invalid, we are knowingly disregarding their directive,” said Mayor Mafume.

Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent

Harare City Council’s Human Capital Development department has come under fire for allegedly ignoring a directive from the Local Government Board to restructure salaries and grades for directors and senior council employees.

The Local Government Board declared the current salaries and grading framework at Harare City Council null and void, but still the council bosses continue to pocket eye-popping salaries while service delivery remains at its lowest.

Acting director Human Capital Development director Mr Bossman Mutengarufu, is facing criticism from both councillors and ratepayers.

Last month, it emerged that the council was shelling out about US$500 000 a month towards salaries for executives. The town clerk receives a monthly salary of US$27 000, which can increase to US$30 000 with additional perks while the least-paid executive earns US$15 000 per month.

None of these salaries and perks have the approval of the Local Government Board.

The Local Government Board then directed the council to immediately begin restructuring, aligning the grading system and salaries with Government-approved guidelines.

“I raised this issue a long time ago, questioning how a committee can convene when there is a letter affecting employees and the council. If we continue making payments or operating under a structure that the Local Government Board has declared invalid, we are knowingly disregarding their directive,” said Mayor Mafume.

“They were considerate enough to inform us and communicate this to the ministry, expecting us to take action rather than ignore it. At the very least, a report should have been submitted to the committee outlining the situation, its implications, and the necessary steps to be taken. This is a critical matter.

“The Local Government Board made it clear why we cannot proceed as we have been.”

However, the process has stalled amid allegations of dishonesty and resistance from senior officials.

Mr Mutengarufu, when asked by Mayor Mafume, initially denied receiving a directive to implement the restructuring exercise.

However, it later emerged that the acting Town Clerk had handed him the letter instructing him to commence the process.

Faced with mounting evidence, Mr Mutengarufu was forced to apologise for misleading the council.

The matter was brought before a special council meeting last week, where tempers flared as officials debated the way forward.

Some councillors accused senior management of deliberately delaying the restructuring to maintain their current salary structures.

“The Local Government Board has made it clear that our current grading structure is invalid. It is unacceptable that some officials are trying to ignore this directive.

“We will not allow this matter to be swept under the rug. The grading system must be reviewed as directed by the Local Government Board,” said Mayor Mafume.

“If it means taking further action to enforce compliance, we are prepared to do so. This issue affects the integrity and efficiency of council operations.”

Meanwhile, the Human Capital Director was also under fire after conducting interviews in private disregarding a council resolution that stipulates that every interview for a position from grade one to three must be televised or publicised.

Mr Mutengarufu said the Local Government Board had barred them from being publicised, a claim that was later corrected by Clr Ngadziore who said the board only changed the composition of the interviewing board.

“The board has not changed anything on publicising interviews for Grade 1-3 but what they have changed is the composition of the interviewing board which reduced the number of councillors who sit in the interviewing board,” narrated Clr Ngadziore.