News / National
Council bosses fight salary cuts
16 Sep 2018 at 09:01hrs | Views
At least 50 CEOs from most of the country's rural district councils (RDCs) have petitioned the High Court challenging the government's directive to cap their salaries at $1 900.
Through their lawyers, Warara and Associates Legal Practitioners, the CEOs filed the application on September 7, 2018 seeking the nullification of the Local Government ministry's directive issued on October 8, 2014.
They cited George Magosvongwe, the permanent secretary in the ministry, and current minister July Moyo as the first and second respondent respectively. The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.
Rural District Council Chief Executives' Forum (RDCCEF) chairperson Edward Pise in his founding affidavit said he was urging the court to nullify the directive.
Pise said the RDCCEF was also seeking an order compelling all the RDCs to pay their respective CEOs salaries as negotiated between the local authorities and their employees.
He said the CEOs had tried to engage the permanent secretary and minister on the matter without success.
"When this directive was issued, it was not based on the circumstances of the parties, which were not even considered, but a unilateral interference with an existing contractual relationship between the respective councils and their employers," reads part of the affidavit.
"In the premises, I pray for an order setting aside the directive in terms thereof."
Pise said no consultations were done before the directive was issued.
"Following the issuance of this directive, the applicants tried several times to discuss the issue with the then permanent secretary for the second respondent, but that did not yield any results," he said.
"After failing to get the respondent to co-operate, applicants filed an application in this honourable court, being HC6349/16.
"The respondent offered in meetings held by our representatives to attend to the issue and correct the illegality, but the respondent has failed to do anything, which is why we have reinstituted this application."
Pise said the RDCCEF maintained its position that the directive was illegal and prejudicial to its members.
Through their lawyers, Warara and Associates Legal Practitioners, the CEOs filed the application on September 7, 2018 seeking the nullification of the Local Government ministry's directive issued on October 8, 2014.
They cited George Magosvongwe, the permanent secretary in the ministry, and current minister July Moyo as the first and second respondent respectively. The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.
Rural District Council Chief Executives' Forum (RDCCEF) chairperson Edward Pise in his founding affidavit said he was urging the court to nullify the directive.
Pise said the RDCCEF was also seeking an order compelling all the RDCs to pay their respective CEOs salaries as negotiated between the local authorities and their employees.
He said the CEOs had tried to engage the permanent secretary and minister on the matter without success.
"In the premises, I pray for an order setting aside the directive in terms thereof."
Pise said no consultations were done before the directive was issued.
"Following the issuance of this directive, the applicants tried several times to discuss the issue with the then permanent secretary for the second respondent, but that did not yield any results," he said.
"After failing to get the respondent to co-operate, applicants filed an application in this honourable court, being HC6349/16.
"The respondent offered in meetings held by our representatives to attend to the issue and correct the illegality, but the respondent has failed to do anything, which is why we have reinstituted this application."
Pise said the RDCCEF maintained its position that the directive was illegal and prejudicial to its members.
Source - the standard
