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NewsDay

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Fresh salary scam unearthed

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HE Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (Chitrest) yesterday claimed that it had unearthed a fresh salary scam where three councillors approved a pay incremen

THE Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (Chitrest) yesterday claimed that it had unearthed a fresh salary scam where three councillors approved a pay increment for the town’s management and backdated it to September 2012 without government and full council approval.

PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI SENIOR REPORTER

Chitrest programmes co-ordinator Marvelous Khumalo told NewsDay yesterday that the trust was still looking into the issues after they had laid their hands on documentation highlighting “massive fraudulent activities” at the town council’s head office towards the end of last month.

Three councillors — Phillip Mutoti (who is also the town’s mayor), finance committee chairperson Musekiwa Ruzvidzo and general purpose committee chairperson Tichaona Muchakwa — are alleged to have connived with town clerk George Makunde on February 1 2014 to approve a salary increment for the entire council management.

This was done in contravention of the Urban Councils Act (section 138) which requires approval by the minister responsible for the administration of the Labour Relations Act (Chapter 28:01), in this case Nicholas Goche.

“We are still working on the issue,” Khumalo said.

“It is still being looked at by our lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and once they are through, they will advise us accordingly on what route to take.”

“The document which was signed by three councillors shows that Makunde as at September 2012 earned a basic monthly salary of $10 000 and $2 500 in monthly allowances for entertainment, non-practicing and housing.”

The document showed that some managers were pocketing gross salaries of between $8 190 and $12 500, inclusive of housing allowances ($662-$1 000), entertainment allowances ($375-$500) and non-practicing allowance ($662-$1 000).

The scandal was unearthed at a time the municipality was struggling to provide services such as potable water, refuse collection and sewer repairs.

Ordinary council workers are yet to receive their outstanding salaries for the past 14 months.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Makunde dismissed the allegations, adding that the whistleblowers had no authority to speak on such issues.

“Who are they? Residents are represented by the councillors, not Chitrest,” Makunde retorted.

In June, the cash-strapped municipality started deploying debt collectors to recover about $27 million it is owed in unpaid rates amid claims that the debts had stifled its efforts to clear the salary backlog.

Last year, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo directed all local authorities to write off ratepayers’ arrears for the period February 2009 to June 2013 in a move that was widely viewed as a Zanu PF campaign gimmick ahead of elections

Since then, most residents have reportedly been reluctant to pay for rates as they anticipated another debt reprieve from government.