Masvingo to pamper officials with cars

Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent

MASVINGO city council has tabled a plan to pamper senior officials with top of the range vehicles as part of their conditions of service.

According to the latest minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, at least seven senior officials do not have service cars and the Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa, recommended that the purchase of the vehicles be done in a phased approach.

“Consideration was given to the report of the town clerk on the request to purchase conditions of service vehicles for senior managers. It was reported that as part of their conditions of service, senior managers were supposed to be provided with vehicles for use on council business and for private use. The following officials do not have conditions of service vehicles at the moment-chief environmental health officer, chamber secretary, finance director, director of engineering services, administration manager, deputy director of engineering services and senior health officer,” reads part of the minutes.

According to the minutes, the purchasing of the vehicles will be done in phases with the first phase catering for chief environmental health officer, chamber secretary and deputy director of engineering services while the second phase will cater for the finance director, director of engineering services, administration manager and senior health officer. The matter was however, referred to a council caucus meeting for deliberations.

Meanwhile, consideration was given to the report of the town clerk on the state of the official vehicles for the former Town Clerk, Mr Aldof  Gusha. It was reported that Mr Gusha was using a Pajero Sport vehicle as his condition of service vehicle at his time of retirement in 2019. Concern was however, raised by committee members that the local authority had spent a lot of money towards repairs for the vehicle for the former town clerk.

“At the time of his retirement, the vehicle was at ZIMOCO for repairs following a road traffic accident. Panel beating was done, a new fuel tank was fitted and new injectors were fitted but still the vehicle was not performing well. Council sought advice and got a recommendation that it was most advisable to purchase another engine. It was reported that a search in the market for a new engine was not successful, but low mileage engines.

A quotation from Byword Motors indicated a price of $4 167 800.00. Accordingly authority was being sought to purchase a low mileage engine for Pajero Sport  for the former Town Clerk, Mr A K Gusha. The committee raised concern that council had already spent a lot of money towards repairs for the vehicle for the former town clerk,” read part of minutes.

The committee resolved that the request to purchase a low mileage engine be put in abeyance pending a detailed report on the same to council by the town clerk.