GWERU City Council has laid off 50 contract workers as part of efforts to tame its ballooning wage bill which gobbles 72% of the local authority’s monthly income, the Southern Eye has learnt.
by Stephen Chadenga
Last week, a three-member commission recently appointed by Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to oversee council affairs following the suspension of mayor Hamutendi Kombayi and his entire team of 18 councillors, expressed concern over the local authority’s huge workforce.
The commission, led by former Masvingo town clerk Tsunga Mhangami, expressed reservations at the huge workforce which they said did not tally with the revenue generated by the local authority.
“We have a huge wage bill yet the revenue that is coming in is far less than what is paid to employees. We have to work on alternative ways to raise revenues as well as options on how to deal with the huge workforce,” Mhangami told a Press briefing then.
Mhangami could not be reached for comment yesterday as he was said to be in a meeting with top council officials.
Some of the sacked workers could be seen milling around Town House after being served with dismissal letters.
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Part of the letter dated August 31 and signed by acting chamber secretary Gibson Chingwadza, read: “Notice is hereby given that your fixed contract of employment is expiring on August 31 2015 and it shall not be renewed. By copy of this memo the finance department is requested to prepare your terminal benefits.”
Gweru’s wage bill currently stands at $888 000 per month. The money is distributed among a 1 300-strong workforce, which also includes about 200 contract workers.
Before their suspension, the councillors had advocated for a massive retrenchment in order to reduce the wage bill and allocate more resources towards service delivery, but management had turned down the proposal
Council workers are currently owed four months’ salary.
