via Harare told to fire top earners – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 12, 2015 by Silence Charumbira
HARARE residents have started lobbying the local authority to take advantage of a recent Supreme Court ruling on job cuts to reduce its bloated executive and channel more resources towards service delivery.
The ruling, which has so far claimed the scalps of nearly 20 000 workers in both private firms and parastatals, allows employers to terminate workers’ contracts on three months’ notice.
Harare Residents’ Trust director Precious Shumba last week called on the city fathers to take advantage of the legal gap to cut down the council’s wage bill.
“The Harare City Council should take advantage of the July 17 Supreme Court ruling on labour matters to reduce their bloated workforce where most departments recruited through political channels to employ incompetent and unproductive people who are contemptuous of residents,” Shumba said.
“Alternatively, these excess workers should have their salaries cut in half. Residents of Harare cannot afford the council’s bloated workforce.”
Combined Harare Residents’ Association chairperson Simbarashe Moyo said although they did not support the court ruling, his organisation was lobbying for a massive cut on the council’s wage bill.
“There are services that we expect without negotiations or compromise and we are not getting those, while the top-heavy council management is earning thousands of dollars,” Moyo said.
“The cabal supports a cabal of black employers, the Chinese and these black elites who are trying to find a way to deal with their huge wage bills. What we want is fairness. Both sides should benefit.”
Contacted for comment yesterday, Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni said council had not yet decided on ways to reduce its workforce.
“I have not seen anything from residents’ associations regarding dismissal of workers. I have not seen the request and I cannot say whether or not we are going to dismiss workers,” Manyenyeni said.
“We have not decided yet as a council whether or not we are going to dismiss workers. That prerogative (to dismiss workers) belongs to every employer, but we have not decided as council.”
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