Gweru City Council finance director, Edgar Mwedzi, has said council will next year start doling out residential stands to its workers in lieu of their outstanding salaries and bonus payments for 2015 after the government recently approved the deal. By Stephen Chadenga
Early this year, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere shot down the proposal and directed the local authority to seek other revenue sources to clear the salary backlog.
“Starting 2018 council will pay towards workers’ stands on a monthly basis to reduce their salary arrears,” Mwedzi said last week. “We have set aside stands for our employees in Mkoba 21 and as council will pay to clear their four months’ salary arrears as well as bonuses for 2015.”
In 2015, council struck a similar deal with its employees at the now-defunct Go Beer Breweries, where affected workers were given residential stands in lieu of their outstanding salaries.
Mwedzi also said council expected to realise $2 million from the sale of residential stands in Mkoba 21.
The sale of stands in the new suburb was stopped by Kasukuwere last year, following reports of alleged irregularities.
“The sale of stands in Mkoba 21 which resumed in 2017 is expected to yield $2 037 140 in 2018 and this will constitute 5% of the total budget,” Mwedzi said.
“This is in line with our objective of increasing residential accommodation from the current 27 500 units to 28 000 by December 2018.”
