Salary tribunal under spotlight

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
The credibility of the tribunal appointed by Harare mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni has once again come under the spotlight amid reports that the MDC-T-led council wants to use a document produced by the tribunal to smear council directors who applied for the coveted position of Harare town clerk.

The panel, which has failed to produce the report since Apri,l is now reportedly trying to finish it before town clerk interviews commence.

“The tribunal has been failing to produce anything since April. Why are they in a rush all of a sudden? They want to smear the current directors, some of whom applied for the post of town clerk before the interviews commence,” said a source at Town House.

Clr Manyenyeni, however, said the report was not intended to smear anyone. “Final appearances and submissions will be made this week before Justice George Smith and his tribunal. It has taken longer than anticipated. Serving directors cannot be smeared because their performances are known,” he said.

Officials had alleged that the tribunal does not understand council procedures and High Court judge Justice George Smith, who is said to be chairing the tribunal, is not really in it and at times walks out of proceedings.

They also allege that the tribunal constantly asks for documents and information they already have. Fears abound that the appointment of the tribunal prompted by a Government audit which unearthed financial irregularities at Town House could have been irregular hence its findings could be null and void.

It has emerged that council flouted procedures of the Urban Councils Act when they appointed the tribunal. According to Section 100 of the Urban Councils Act, a councillor was supposed to chair the tribunal whose other members should include councillors.

According to the audit report sanctioned by the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry, city executives continued to earn between $12 000 and $21 000 from October 2014 to June 2015, as opposed to $10 450 for the highest earner as stipulated by the Government.

This, the report said, prejudiced the city of over $550 000.