LOCAL Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has ordered Victoria Falls Municipality to cancel plans to pay out a $300 000 golden handshake to outgoing treasurer, Thembinkosi Khumalo.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Addressing delegates during a luncheon to mark the official opening of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament in Harare on Thursday, Kasukuwere described the council’s plans to pay $269 496,82 as Khumalo’s retirement package as outrageous.
“Today, we woke up to read that a certain local authority wants to pay its outgoing official $300 000, that would never happen. We agreed with the (Local Government) secretary (George Mlilo) that we must get our foot down and ensure that we stop this,” Kasukuwere said.
According to media reports, council recently approved to pay Khumalo in terms of Sections 21 and 22 of the Victoria Falls Municipality’s conditions of service.
The section (21) states that: “An employee who has completed five or more years of continuous service on termination of such employment, irrespective of the circumstances of such termination, shall be paid a gratuity calculated as a percentage of the employee’s current (yearly) earnings multiplied by the number of years served.”
According to the policy, council was compelled to pay those who have served five to 10 years, 15% of their yearly basic salary multiplied by the number of years served.
Those who retire after serving betwen 11 and 20 years get 20% of the same, while 25% was paid to employees who would have served for over 21 years.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Khumalo, whose basic monthly salary was $3 150 excluding allowances, was entitled to 25% of his annual salary multiplied by every year served.
His total exit package would be $269 496, 82, according to the council minutes.
But Kasukuwere said: “After one has served for so many years in our local authority, that is grateful but you must not take our people for granted. We say thank and you should go gratefully without taking all those monies.”
The local authority had also proposed to give him a laptop, cellphone, a Toyota D4D double cab (valued at $35 726). The total package was subject to approval by the Local Government Board.
