City to re-engage 1 000 contract workers

Abigail Mawonde and Ropafadzo Ndangariro
Harare City Council has resolved to re-engage 1 000 general workers on fixed six months contracts to help in the rehabilitation of roads. Most roads in Harare are potholed and in need of urgent attention. Council has failed to repair the roads. The onset of rains will further damage the roads some of which are now impassable. According to recent minutes of the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee meeting, it was agreed that the general workers must be deployed in all wards and given targets.

“The committee considered a confidential report (August 10, 2017, circulated with the Agenda) by the acting Director of Works recommending granting authority to re-engage one thousand (1 000) contract general labourers (Grade 16) on fixed terms contracts of employment of six (6) months at a gross salary equivalent to the basic salary for Grade 16 plus transport allowance totalling $244, 48 per month. The Acting Town Clerk advised that the matter had been considered in the recent Environmental Management Committee meeting and that the acting Director of Works would report to that committee on the above proposals,” reads the minutes.

The committee resolved that council authorises the re-engagement of the 1 000 workers. It recommended that the Human Capital Director should fill the vacancies whenever they arise. The committee also resolved that the acting Director of Works reports to the Environmental Management Committee on the of deployment of the 1 000 general labourers equitably to cover all the wards and to assign them road works targets.

Harare City Council has also approached the Ministry of Finance for assistance in raising foreign currency for the importation of road repairing machines and equipment. Meanwhile, council has contracted 340 community-based anti-litter monitors to help promote a clean and healthy environment within the Central Business District.

Minutes from the council’s human resources and general purposes committee show that the monitors will work for six-months from September 6, 2017. The monitors are on six months contracts starting from September 6. HCC’s acting director of works Priscilla Charumbira said there are currently 420 vacant posts for street cleaners, a situation that has made it necessary for the local authority to rope in anti-litter monitors.

“The committee discussed the matter, asserting the need to pay the anti-litter monitors allowances that are due to them. It further agreed that the anti-litter monitors be engaged for a period of six months,” she said.

The committee encouraged the monitors to form community-based organisations (CBOs) to canvass for corporate sponsorship. The committee also expressed concern over the growing number of push carts and parked trucks that are being used to sell goods along the city’s major roads, which was disrupting the smooth flow of traffic.

It called for their urgent removal to enable the city was to attain world class status and attract investors. Acting chamber secretary Mr Charles Kandemiri advised the committee that council now had a viable strategy to manage and control informal traders.