Gweru City Council employees have signed a deal where the local authority would settle their bills using their unpaid overtime earnings, the Southern Eye has established.
Stephen Chadenga
Over the years, the cash-strapped local authority has been struggling to clear workers’ salary arrears, owing to low revenue inflows.
“Following the works council meeting held on June 5 it was resolved that overtime worked be used to set off council bills in the same manner the ringfenced salaries is (sic) treated,” chamber secretary, Vakai Chikwekwe said in a memo dated June 20.
This is not the first time that council entered into a deal with workers to pay their arrears.
In January this year, the council agreed with employees to pay their medical, funeral expenses as well as children’s school fees in lieu of their three months’ outstanding salaries.
Last year, council announced that starting this year, it would be doling out residential stands to workers in lieu of their outstanding salaries and bonus payments for 2015.
The stands are in the newly-established Mkoba 21 suburb.
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Meanwhile, council has repaired a burst pipe at the 600mm mainline at Gwenoro water treatment plant that saw the city going without water for days last week.
Speaking during a tour of the pipeline yesterday, council engineer Robson Manatsa, said normal water supply would resume this week in most parts of the city.
Last year, town clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza revealed that the cash-strapped council required at least $10 million to address water supply challenges faced by the city. Over the years, Gweru has been facing water shortages as a result of ageing pumps and pipes.
