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Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Public sector bosses who submitted false salary schedules to Government will face serious consequences, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has said.While it has been established that some bosses in these entities were pocketing as much as US$550 000 monthly, there is suspicion that some under-declared their packages and claimed to be earning less than US$40 000 when they are taking home significantly more.
Government has since capped the highest package payable in the public sector at US$6 000 monthly, inclusive of benefits.
Further, there must be a 60-40 ratio on salary and allowances as some executives were paying themselves relatively low salaries and then raking in mega non-taxable allowances.
Addressing the media in Harare on Tuesday, Minister Chinamasa said, “You cannot run a country without information or on incorrect information or distorted information. As we sit . . . we are going to consider what penalties to impose in the event where we asked for information in the event that we are not given correct information. I think we need penalties so that we have all the information. If information is hidden from us there should be penalties to follow.”
Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said the veracity of the figures submitted by public sector bosses would be determined by audits.
He highlighted the possibility that some executives under-declared their earnings, saying: “I can give you an example for you there is item three (on the salaries schedule) — ZBC — those figures exclude bonus of the CEO; when you include that US$37 050 and bonus that will give you US$44 000 a month.
But this (US$37 050) is what ZBC has submitted and it is the same with other organisations; they submitted this and most likely you will not find a case where they have lowered — they will just not disclose in full the package of the salary.”
Online Reporter