Chegutu clears salary arrears

Heather Charema in Chegutu
CHEGUTU Municipality has cleared its employees’ salary arrears, including outstanding bonuses, within two months.

The local authority, which had been taken to court by workers, was ordered by the labour court clear all arrears in four equal instalments within three months.

Municipal workers who were being owed $632 234,29, had threatened to attach service delivery trucks if their arrears had not been cleared according to the court order.

In an interview on Wednesday, Chegutu Municipality financial director Mr Tongai Mandude said council had managed to complete the payment of salary arrears after implementing debt collection strategies.

“We have successfully completed the payment of salary arrears amounting to $632 234,29 over a period of two months, though we had been ordered to clear the arrears between June and September,” he said.

“We paid in four equal instalments, with each instalment totalling $158 058,50. Council also managed to pay all the 2018 bonuses which were outstanding and this was made possible through the robust debt collection strategies implemented by council.”

Mr Mandude said council was making follow-ups on outstanding amounts.

“Workers are still to quantify the overtime worked, however the amount is not substantial and the Labour Court ruled for quantification of the amount,” he said.

Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Workers Union (ZURCWU) secretary-general and vice chairman for Chegutu Municipality workers committee Mr Chamunorwa Zindimu confirmed that arrears had been cleared but however said that council may not have records of overtime dating from 2009 to date.

“Yes arrears have been cleared including bonuses but it was after an enforcement from the courts, still we are awaiting an order from the Labour Court of overtime as from 2009 to date which we believe council may not have the records,” he said.

“We are awaiting overtime quantification as from 2009 to date and we also want council to comply with the court ruling which ordered them to put all overtime worked on payslips.”