Bulawayo council to defy Kasukuwere, wont retrench workers

BULAWAYO City Council top official has hinted that the local authority would not retrench workers as ordered by Government citing lack of money for the exercise.

Local government ministry recently  approved BCC full 2016 budget but on condition that the local authority effects salary and job cuts to reduce its wage bill.

According to latest minutes of the council finance and development committee, the government's approval of councils' $154 million budget came with several conditions.

The government said council must, among other things, slash salaries and retrench employees, as current employment costs were unsustainable given the local authority's shrinking revenue base.

Part of the minutes read: "However, the approval came with the following conditions; that rationalised salaries are implemented forthwith and remain in the budget approved levels unless authority to amend the budget and given by the minister (Saviour Kasukuwere).

"That council produces a realistic plan to reduce employment costs to acceptable 30:70 ratio by year end and that the 2017 budget is compliant with this ratio. The current level of 55% is unacceptable."

The council budget was approved on August 3, a month after the ministry had only approved BCC's capital expenditure for 2016, but ignored the revenue side.

However, speaking during an ongoing 2017 budget consultation meeting today, acting Town Clerk Sikhangele Zhou said the council has no money to bank roll retrenchments.

Zhou said council perpetration "are labour intensive economy  and we are not mechanised."
 
 She said the council has however set aside money to procure a sweeping  machine.
 
On salary cuts, Zhou said they did not comply with the recommend 70:30% ratio saying when they initially submitted the 2016 budget, the parent ministry indicated that it was okay.

She added that it took long to rationalize the wage bill as they "had to follow proper labour channels to cut some salaries,".

According to a drafting budget, could seek to priorities water provision, health, sewerage, housing roads, education, public lighting, social services , fire and ambulances services.