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Redcliff in budget dilemma

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THE financially-troubled Redcliff Municipality has failed to meet Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s 2015 budget submission deadline of January 26.

THE financially-troubled Redcliff Municipality has failed to meet Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s 2015 budget submission deadline of January 26.

BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER

Mayor Freddy Kapuya said the council was still finalising the strategic plan for Redcliff which needed to be submitted together with the budget.

“We have not yet submitted our budget because we are working on the strategic plan which has to be submitted together with the budget. I am sure it will be completed this week,” Kapuya said.

Chombo has warned councils against implementing budgets where salaries claimed the lion’s share.

The local authority, which is owed $14 million in unpaid rates by industry and residents, also carries a burden of over $8 million in debts which include salaries and wages.

“We owe our workers salaries backdated to 12 months and we have continued to engage them to ensure that they do not engage in industrial action or court action to recover their money,” Kapuya said.

But council’s finance committee chairperson Clayton Masiyatsva yesterday disputed the mayor’s claims, saying the local authority submitted its proposed 2015 budget to Chombo late December.

Masiyatsva said the budget conformed to the 30% salaries:70 % service delivery ratio which was set by the ministry.

“We have avoided adjusting salaries of our managers and as a result we have been able to keep within the ratios set for us by the ministry. We are therefore hopeful that our budget will be approved,” he said.