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Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council (GCC) yesterday paid its employees their 2018 bonuses amid indications that the local authority has cleared all salary arrears.
In an interview, mayor councillor Josiah Makombe said over 1 100 employees had received their bonuses.
The payments came at a time when council workers had requested a hardship allowance equivalent to 30 percent of their salaries to cushion them against the rise in the cost of living.
“Yes, we have paid all over employees their 2018 bonuses.
“We have also managed to be up-to-date in terms of salary payment for the workers.
“We are now paying them their monthly salaries and we no longer have back-pays to talk about,” he said.
A member of the GCC workers committee Mr Polite Sibangani said they were happy that council had paid them their bonuses adding that the money was going to go a long way in cushioning them against the rise in the cost of living.
“We are very happy that we have received our bonus. At the same time council has paid our outstanding salaries,” he said.
The local authority last year gave its workers residential stands in lieu of outstanding salaries and bonuses.
The stands were mostly in the newly-established Mkoba 21 suburb.
Last year, the employees signed a deal which compels the local authority to pay their medical and funeral expenses as well as school fees in lieu of outstanding salaries.
Online Reporter