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Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council is set to employ more than 300 professionals as the local authority seeks to address under-staffing within its departments and subsequently improve service delivery.
Over the last couple of weeks, the local authority has been flighting a number of job vacancies within its various departments after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works lifted a job freeze that was implemented some years ago.
Council spokesperson, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, however, allayed fears that the recruitment drive will see the local authority’s wage bill ballooning saying they already had a number of staff costs inclusive of overtime that were being caused by the staff shortages.
“Critical positions are covered by existing staff on an acting capacity. Some are covered by short term contract employees especially in the various departments such as Health Services Department. The increase to the salary bill will be marginal given that council is already paying acting allowances, overtime and contract workers salaries. However, while the Government has authorised us to fill 368 positions, we are phasing our recruitment so that the wage bill remains sustainable,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Online Reporter