SIX senior managers at the Victoria Falls Municipality have sued their council and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere for unilaterally slashing their salaries.
BY SILAS NKALA
The six, whose posts were not disclosed in court papers, were identified as Moses Sibanda, Lot Syatimbula, Sherinah Sibanda, Thembinkosi Khumalo, Nerville Ndlovu and Ngqabutho Moyo.
In March this year, the council managers sued their local authority and Kasukuwere for the slashing of their salaries following the directive from the minister.
The workers then took the matter to the High Court, where Justice Nicholas Mathonsi on October 20 ordered council to reverse its decision and pay up.
Part of the court order read: “That the first respondent shall pay the applicants their full salaries and benefits from March 2016 to August 2016, that the applicant, hereby, accepts the new salary structure in accordance with the rationalised structure with effect from September 1, 2016.”
In his founding affidavit, Sibanda said council’s decision by resolution of its councillors dated February 29, 2016 to unilaterally vary downward by cutting their salaries and allowances and abolishing some allowances with effect from March 2016 without engaging them was unlawful and invalid.
“The applicants are all managerial employees of the first respondent and I am the chairperson of the management workers committee. I am employed … in the internal audit Grade 4D,” he submitted.
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Sibanda said prior to the court case, their salaries were pegged in accordance with the bargaining agreement of June 27, 2013. He said the council advised them that the reduction of their salaries and allowances was in accordance with the ministry’s directive and the local authority was just complying with it, without giving them a chance to be heard.
Council’s chamber secretary, Kholwani Moyo Mangena admitted that the slashing of salaries and allowances was in accordance with Kasukuwere’s directive.
Acting permanent-secretary in the ministry, Joseph Mhakayakora submitted that the council was not wrong by implementing Kasukuwere’s directive. He said the decision came from Cabinet deliberations after realising that the councils were spending huge amounts on salaries and allowances instead of service delivery.
“Salaries of most local authorities are way above those in the private and commercial sectors regardless of the fact that the local authorities are public entities, which thrive on rate payers hard earned cash,” he submitted.
