THE embattled Harare City Council (HCC) has slashed hefty executive salaries following a directive from the ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Zimbabwe Independent has established.
The decision follows the completion of the Justice Maphios Cheda Commission of Inquiry in June.
The commission, appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was tasked with probing the capital’s financial and administrative systems amid widespread concerns over mismanagement.
During his testimony before the commission, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume disclosed that the city’s executives were collectively pocketing around US$500 000 in salaries each month.
The Town Clerk, he revealed, earned an astonishing US$27 000 monthly, while the lowest-paid member of the executive took home about US$15 000, all on top of lavish perks, including entertainment, clothing allowances and school fees coverage.
Ironically, while top officials enjoyed such benefits, the council has been losing an estimated US$10 million annually due to a chaotic billing system and weak revenue collection mechanisms.
A senior council official familiar with the latest salary review told the Independent the cuts, averaging 20%, were effected in September without prior notice to the affected officials.
“In September, salaries for top executives were reduced by 20% without their knowledge. Most senior managers were surprised to see the cut on their payslips,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
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“From what we now understand, this was directed by the ministry to contain rising expenditures and channel resources towards service delivery.”
Under the resource management framework issued by the Local Government ministry, all local authorities are required to cap salary expenses at 30% of monthly revenue, with the remainder earmarked for service delivery.
However, according to the same source, many local authorities have failed to comply, routinely exceeding the threshold by allocating more resources to salaries at the expense of critical services such as water provision, waste management and road maintenance.
“The ministerial resources ratio is the ideal way to utilise council resources. But most local authorities have been struggling to satisfy the ministerial order,” the source said.
“Most local authorities were channelling over 30% of resources to service salaries.”
Investigations by the Independent confirmed that the affected officials include directors, deputy directors, the chamber secretary and the Town Clerk.
Contacted for comment, acting Town Clerk Phakamile Mabhena-Moyo said he had not yet received full details of the cuts.
“Our HCD (human capital director) lost his father (last week) on Thursday. So I have not (obtained) details yet,” he said.
Efforts to get comments from Local Government minister Daniel Garwe and permanent secretary John Bhasera were unsuccessful at the time of going to print. The development comes amid growing discontent among ordinary council employees, some of whom have gone on strike over unpaid wages, with reports indicating salary arrears stretching up to two months.
Meanwhile, the council has come under fire for purchasing a fleet of luxury vehicles for senior officials, including 12 Toyota Fortuners and a Toyota Prado VX200 for the Town Clerk, despite its worsening financial position.
Residents and business groups have condemned the extravagance and demanded urgent reforms, accusing the city’s leadership of misplaced priorities and chronic financial mismanagement.
