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Municipal Reporter
Harare councillors are set to take decisive measures, including firing city officials accused of sleeping on duty, it has been learnt.
The officials are accused of failing to steer the city out of debt and not doing enough to reduce ballooning salary arrears that now stand at six months.
The workers accuse the city of infringing upon their rights with Harare Municipality Workers’ Union executive chairman Mr Cosmas Bungu saying council workers have turned into beggars surviving on handouts from well-wishers
Mr Bungu also represents workers in the Harare Municipal business units.
A councillor who spoke to The Herald on condition of anonymity said they were losing confidence in some of the city officials and would soon take drastic measures that included firing some officials.
Among those who are likely to face the chop are finance director Mr Justin Mandizha, who is accused of presiding over declining service delivery in the city and worsening the city’s salary arrears.
Mr Mandizha joined Harare last year after a short stint with Cashflow Solutions (Pvt) Limited, immediately after his tenure with the United Nations, where he acquired the bulk of his working experience.
He worked with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) before landing the current post at the council.
Councillors feel that he has failed to change the city’s fortunes because when he joined the city salary arrears were on three months but three more more months have been added.
At a recent full council meeting most councillors blamed Mr Mandizha for worsening the city’s salary arrears.
Contacted for comment, Human Resources and General Purposes Committee chairperson Clr Wellington Chikombo said council was disgusted by the failure to pay salaries saying deserving action would be taken.
“We are disgusted, it makes us shudder to say the least. Any excuse will remain unwelcomed, our employees have to be paid with immediate effect. No unjust system would be allowed to last forever. We will roll our sleeves to fight for the poor.
“Deserving action will be meted against undeserving individuals, City of Harare is not a safe haven pot for inept, amateurish and un-proficient people,” he said.
Online Reporter