Online Reporter
Diana Nherera
Harare mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume has urged council management to ensure the municipality clears outstanding salaries owed to workers because the matter is an area of great concern.
Chairing the 1940th full council meeting at the Town House on Wednesday, Cllr Mafume said he hopes by next year, the city will be up to date on salary payments.
Acting City of Harare finance director Mr Godfrey Kusangaya told the meeting council his department is working to clear the backlog.
“On the Nostro side (foreign currency salary component), we are up to date,” he said.
Acting human capital director, Mr Jabulani Duve, said presently council is paying the United States dollar component of the September salary and the local currency component (ZiG), for August, starting with Grade 16 workers.
Ratepayers owe the City of Harare ZiG$8 billion leaving the municipality struggling to raise salaries and fund services. Ratepayers argue the council is not providing the services it bills them every month, chief among them water and until recently refuse collection before it was taken over by Geo Pomona Waste Management.
Residents also question the council bills, arguing the local authority uses estimates to bill them for unprovided services.
The meeting also discussed the fire that burnt a classroom block at Westlea Council Primary School with Cllr Mafume urging the head of social services, Mrs Lizzy Muchena, and the councillor for the area to approach municipal insurers and submit claims to fund the repairs.
Cllr Mafume said he received a letter from the Harare West Parliamentary Constituency Office last month on the renovation of the burnt Early Childhood Development block at Westlea Council Primary School.
Mr Kusangaya said the council had insured the buildings at the school to the tune of $1 million.
“So can we make a beeline armed with the receipt from the finance director to the insurance company this week for the repair of the school?” asked Cllr Mafume.
Peter Tanyanyiwa