City council budget approved as managers' salaries are cut

Government has finally approved Masvingo City Council budget for the year 2016 it had rejected due to high salaries of senior managers that were not in line with council policy.

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere spurned the budget after management breached salary-service ratio of 30:70 respectively which according to sources saw senior employees like the town clerk getting full benefits of up to US$10 000 a month.

Kasukuwere who had expressed anger and impatience at council managers' intransigence confirmed that he had finally approved the budget.

Efforts by The Mirror to confirm the actual salary standings were fruitless although the new Zimbabwe Constitution demands that such information be given to the public on demand.

Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze confirmed the developments in a telephone interview with The Mirror.

"However, the best person to answer you on that issue is either the City Treasurer or Town Clerk,''said Fidze.