Khuphe, Harare mayor heading for a major showdown

Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe and Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda are heading for a major showdown after the mayor dismissed her push to scrap maternity fees at council clinics, describing the move as "unsustainable".

But Khupe said she had sourced $40 million to subsidise maternity costs under the Health Transition Fund.

Yesterday she vowed that there was no going back on the matter and urged the ministry of Health and Child Welfare to speed up the release of the funds for the scrapping of maternity fees.

Masunda said Khupe was off the mark as the city council actually wants to increase maternity fees by 100%.