THE Cold Storage Company owes over $1 million in salaries to its employees including top management since 2009, an audit report has revealed.
SILAS NKALA
According to the audit report, prepared by David Ndlovu, about 30 managers were owed close to $300 000 while the parastatal’s 150 shop floor workers were owed $715 000.
The parastatal’s chief executive officer Ngoni Chinogaramombe was owed $8 095,52 while finance director Pascal Marufu had an outstanding salary bill of $9 507,97 as at July 31, 2015.
The workers however claimed that human resources director Moses Mrewa allegedly processed his own salary and did the same for those linked to him.
Contacted for comment, Chinogaramombe confirmed the salary backlog, but added that efforts were being made to reduce the bill each month.
“The amounts owed continue to change from time to time as progressive payments are made. These amounts will only be cleared when the company’s operations improve, most likely when the company’s turnaround proposals are approved and implemented,” he said.
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“It is shameful for the former managers to think that the HR director could demand his salary ahead of others. He is not the one who decides on how the company cash flows are allocated.”
The struggling parastatal reportedly owes workers over $715 000 in unpaid salaries since 2009.
The developments come at a time when top executives at the company have been implicated in a top-of-the-range company vehicles deal which they reportedly bought for a song, prejudicing the parastatal of over $143 000.
The vehicles were procured by the company in 2011, only to be sold to senior managers in 2012.
Marufu recently said the parastatal was currently undergoing a forensic audit as ordered by the government.
