The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government and Urban Development has recommended a human resource audit at Harare City Council to determine staff competences and their salary levels. BY VENERANDA LANGA
Committee chairperson Irene Zindi (Mutasa South MP) told the House that when the committee demanded salary schedules for council’s senior management, they were given schedules for the Zimbabwe dollar era.
“It is the considered view of the committee that council management used the Zimbabwean dollar mindset to peg the current salaries which explains the obscene levels,” Zindi said.
“The committee tried without success to get an answer as to why the City of Harare’s US dollar salaries could not be supported by a council meeting resolution,” she said.
The committee said when Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni appeared before Parliament last year, he disclosed that the bulk of council’s budget was going towards servicing the salary bill.
“The mayor informed the committee that the City of Harare lost a lot of revenue when bills were written off in 2013 and this will take many years to recover. Government did not come up with measures to cover for the loss,” the committee said.
On water provision, the committee said production at Morton Jaffray Waterworks had reduced from 704 megalitres per day to 400 megalitres daily due to dilapidated infrastructure built in 1954.
Glen Norah MP Webster Maondera accused Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo of frustrating council efforts to effectively provide services.
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“When councillors make decisions, Chombo often thwarts them. An example was that they recommended the suspension of (town clerk Tendai) Mahachi, but the decision was stopped by the minister,” Maondera said.
Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa also accused the Executive of failing to implement recommendations made by parliamentary committees.
“We need a Bill that ensures that ministers implement resolutions made by committees of Parliament. If we do not craft a Bill, then we should insert a clause in the Standing Rules and Orders to ensure ministers are held to account and implement recommendations by Parliamentary committees,” Chamisa said.
