adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
LOCAL Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo has dispatched a probe team to the Gwanda Municipality following reports that top managers were awarding themselves “outrageous” salaries. The team came a week before town clerk Gilbert Mlilo, said to have been the highest earning official pocketing $16,923,87 per month, bade the local authority farewell on Friday.
The Mayor, Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu, confirmed the visit by a probe team from the ministry last week but could not be drawn to disclose more detail.
“Yes, the team was here for two-and-a-half days and we are also anxious to know its findings,” he told Chronicle.
Cllr Ndlovu could also not comment on whether a replacement for Mlilo had been found saying interviews were done and the position was yet to be filled.
A council official who declined to be named for fear of reprisals said: “The probe team was here specifically to look into issues of salaries and handling of other finances. Some of the employees were summoned and counted physically to ascertain whether they really existed and were present at work. Those on leave were also called specifically for that exercise,” said the official.
The visit by ministry officials comes at a time when a stand-alone council audit team revealed that some employees, including senior management, owed the municipality substantial amounts as they failed to reconcile the figures.
Some workers, including the former municipality employees, were said to owe as much as $1,000 each.
Residents have been angered by the “obscene” salary disclosures in council given the poor state of service delivery. Recently, the government moved in to cap the perks for senior managers at $6,000 for the highest earning official.
There are also reports that the probe team also visited Gwanda Rural District Council on a similar mission.
Meanwhile, the municipality threw a farewell party for Mlilo at the Gwanda District Club after he served council for 26 years.
During the function, Mlilo was described as a gallant son of Gwanda who had been in the driving seat of development since the town earned such a status from a mere growth point.
Mlilo said despite some challenges encountered during his term of office, he soldiered on with support from the community.
The event coincided with the launch of the Junior Council of Gwanda and the unveiling of the website for the municipality.
derick.khumalo