The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube
BULAWAYO City Councillors have demanded an allowance increase of more than 450 percent, a move that will see an ordinary councillor getting $1 000 every month.
The move has, however, attracted a backlash from residents who accused the local authority of having misplaced priorities.
The city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo, made the request of the allowance increment last Thursday during a meeting between councillors, council officials and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.
“It is a matter between us and the minister, of which I believe it won’t be professional for me to discuss it in the media,” said Clr Moyo.
Minister Kasukuwere also confirmed the request by the councillors but said he would not be approving anything that would see the bulk of council resources being directed towards paying the councillors.
“While I understand that the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is one of the best performing councils in the country and the councillors really deserve to be incentivised, I cannot approve anything that will see these councillors get ludicrous amounts.
“I will sit down with my Permanent Secretary Engineer George Mlilo; we look at the figures which they are suggesting and duly advise what we think. The response might be positive but I must emphasise that service delivery has to determine the amount of allowances they get,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Council sources, who spoke to this publication, revealed that the councillors had written to the new minister requesting the increase, a move that had been blocked by the previous minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, who now leads the Home Affairs portfolio.
It was revealed that according to the new figures that were being proposed by the councillors, an ordinary councillor would be receiving $1 000; council committee chairpersons, $1 200; the deputy mayor, $1 500 while the mayor would take home $1 600 every month.
Currently, the mayor, Clr Moyo, is getting $350; the deputy mayor, Clr Gift Banda, $300; committee chairpersons, $240 while ordinary councillors get $220.
The demand by the councillors, translates to a 455 percent increase for ordinary councillors.
In Harare, the approved allowances are that the mayor gets $450; deputy mayor, $395; committee chairpersons, $340 while ordinary councillors get $290.
“Councillors wrote to the minister some time ago and on Thursday they took advantage of the minister’s presence to make the request verbally. It is our hope that this request is granted because most of us are now full-time engaged as councillors because it is virtually impossible to be a councillor and hold a normal 8am to 5pm job,” said one councillor.
The councillors are demanding that the increase be effective this monthend.
However, Bulawayo United Residents’ Association (Bura) chairperson Mr Winos Dube had no kind words for the councillors saying this was a clear sign of misplaced priorities, noting that it was high time people realised that being a councillor was not a career path.
“Those people are there simply to ensure that they safeguard people’s monies ensuring that they are used for service delivery but they are now busy demanding these high allowances for themselves.
“It is now becoming clear to everyone that they are not there to represent us but themselves, we now hope that the minister does not give in to such ridiculous demands,” said Mr Dube.
The latest revelations might put the councillors at loggerheads with employees as the increase would mean councillors would be getting way more than the lowest paid council worker. It is the same councillors who blocked a request by the workers to get an increment.
According to the council’s salary schedule contained in a confidential council report, the lowest paid worker, who is in Grade One gets a basic salary of $180 that can be incentivised to Notch Six where they can get up to $241.
Grade two workers get $255 and their maximum notch is $340. Grade three workers get a basic salary of $360.
The workers’ request was rejected by the councillors who argued council was in no financial position to award them the increment but instead a Cost of Living Adjustment, which would see workers get a determined allowance across the board.
