KWEKWE councillors have demanded that council management provides them with the city’s payroll amid allegations that senior managers could be drawing more money than indicated in the 2014 budget.
BLESSED MHLANGA
STAFF REPORTER
Kwekwe has six directors, who according to the salary schedule presented to council, earn a total of $669 718,57 annually, half of what council pays its 182, A3 Grade workers who collectively take home $1,2 million a year.
During a highly-charged full council meeting held last Thursday, councillor Weston Masiya accused management of misleading councillors by presenting a dummy salary schedule attached to the 2014 council budget.
“We want to see the payroll so that we have a real appreciation of the money being paid out to our workers because it appears the schedule attached to the 2014 budget is just a dummy,” charged Masiya.
He was supported by fellow councillor Aaron Gwalazimba who accused management of being more interested in dipping their fingers into the revenue jug and diverting available council funds to meet their personal needs while the city’s roads were riddled with potholes.
“Our roads are now full of potholes and all streetlights in most parts of the town are not working yet when you go to roads leading to the town clerk (Emanuel Musara)’s house and other directors, the roads are pothole-free and lights in good working order,” said Gwalazimba.
The accusation by local councillors comes at a time management has also approved a budget of more than $200 000 to purchase three top-of-the-range personal service vehicles for its top managers.
Acting town clerk Lucia Mnkandla appealed for unity at Town House and urged councillors to stop playing the blame game because it had the potential of derailing progress.
“We are in this together and, therefore, we should take responsibility to move Kwekwe forward,” she said.
“If councillors move to attack management all the time, it could affect service delivery because we will spend more time trying to defend ourselves.”