The Sunday News
Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council workers will soon smile all the way to the bank as they will start getting their staggered 2017 annual bonuses, an official has said.
In an interview, the Mayor, Councillor Hubert Fidze said council had resolved to award its workers bonuses despite the prevailing liquidity crunch.
“We are going to live up to the workers’ expectations on bonuses. We have resolved as a full council that employees should receive their 2017 annual bonuses and that will start at the end of this month,” said Clr Fidze.
He said while council, like any other local authority in the country was struggling to meet all its financial obligations it was important to give employees what was due to them.
“Despite our cash flows not being up to scratch, we have resolved to give our employees their bonuses. However, as we have been doing all the years, we are going to stagger them starting from the end of January up to August, depending on a worker’s grade,” he said.
Clr Fidze said the council still owed its workers one month salaries but efforts were being made to pay them adding that as the economic situation improves and debtors pay up their outstanding utility bills, the situation was expected to change for the better.
Clr Fidze said council was owed more than $42,5 million in outstanding water bills by its clients with institutions mostly Government departments owing the local authority more than $22 million while the remaining figure was owed by residents.
According to recent full council minutes, City Treasurer Mrs Thandiwe Dube recommended that the staff bonuses be staggered due to cash flow challenges.
“Those in Grade 1 and 2 will get their bonuses this month, Grade 3-4 in February, Grade 5 in March, Grade 6, 7 and 8 will be paid in April.
Grade 9, 10 and 11 receive their money in May. Grade 13, 14 and managerial staff will get their bonuses in July and August, respectively,” read part of the minutes. -@walterbmswazie3
