KWEKWE councillors have expressed shock that town clerk Emanuel Musara is collecting a total of $136 537 a year in salaries and benefits at a time the local authority is in a financial crisis. BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
According to a salary schedule released as part of the 2014 budget document by the local authority, Musara has a basic salary of $1 862, but collects another $5 000 in allowances.
Councillor Weston Masiya said the local authority needs to look into the town clerk’s salary marked “EU” on the schedule with a view of slashing off some of his allowances.
“Local Government minister (Ignatius Chombo) has called on town clerks to cut down on their allowances and it is my view that the town clerk is earning a shocking salary at a time the lowest paid worker is earning $250,” he said.
Council pays the town clerk $1 731 a month in retention allowances and $384 for his home telephone.
The top city official also enjoys unlimited cellphone usage and despite staying in a council house he collects a $250 housing allowance and $861 education and school fees allowances. At least 65 Grade A2 employees who earn $250 a month, $4 worth of soap, $22 transport and $130 housing allowances to collect a $442,50 gross salary monthly.
Councillor Morris Chinadwa said the most shocking revelation was that Musara together with five other directors earn a cool $376 955,52 among them while the other 709 workers share a little over $4 million a year.
“The salary disparities between the lower level workers and top management is just too huge and therefore there is a serious need to sanitise this major difference by cutting allowances to reasonable levels,” he said.
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Council has since set up a manpower and general purpose committee which will be expected to look into the allowances and streamline them in line with Chombo’s calls.
During a full council meeting held last Friday councillors Kanduro Lawa and John Mapurazi elected on a Zanu PF ticket stood hand in glove with Masiya and Chinadwa to force the creation of the committee which has not been part of council over the past years. Councillors said Musara’s salary and that of his management should be tied to performance.
“We want a results-based management contract and this system of people just putting rate payers’ money into their pockets at the expense of service delivery should just be stopped,” Lawa said.
