Harare slashes hefty executive salaries

The embattled Harare City Council (HCC) has slashed executive salaries by an average of 20% following a directive from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Zimbabwe Independent has established.

The move comes after the completion of the Justice Maphios Cheda Commission of Inquiry in June this year. The commission, appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was mandated to probe the city's financial management, governance systems and service delivery failures amid mounting public outrage over corruption and mismanagement.

During his testimony before the inquiry, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume revealed that the city's executives were collectively pocketing around US$500 000 in monthly salaries, with the Town Clerk earning a staggering US$27 000 a month. The lowest-paid executive reportedly took home about US$15 000, excluding a raft of perks such as entertainment, clothing allowances and school fees for dependants.

This revelation sparked widespread public anger, especially given that Harare has been losing an estimated US$10 million annually through a chaotic billing system and poor revenue collection mechanisms.

A senior council insider confirmed to the Independent that the latest salary cuts were implemented in September, without any prior notification to affected officials.

"In September, salaries for top executives were reduced by 20% without their knowledge. Most senior managers were surprised to see the cut on their payslips," the source said.

"From what we now understand, this was directed by the ministry to contain rising expenditures and channel resources towards service delivery."

Under a resource management framework issued by the Local Government ministry, all local authorities must cap salary expenses at 30% of monthly revenue, with the remaining 70% directed toward service delivery.

However, many councils - including Harare - have been failing to comply, allocating far more to salaries than the prescribed limit.

"The ministerial ratio is the ideal way to utilise council resources," the source added. "But most local authorities have been struggling to satisfy the ministerial order."

Investigations by the Independent show that the affected HCC executives include directors, deputy directors, the chamber secretary, and the Town Clerk.

Contacted for comment, acting Town Clerk Phakamile Mabhena-Moyo said he had not yet received full details of the reductions.

"Our human capital director lost his father last week on Thursday, so I have not obtained the full details yet," he said.

Efforts to reach Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe and Permanent Secretary John Bhasera were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

The salary cuts come amid growing labour unrest among junior and middle-level HCC employees, many of whom have gone on strike over unpaid wages. Reports indicate that some staff have gone up to two months without pay, further compounding morale and productivity issues.

Meanwhile, the council has been widely criticised for purchasing a fleet of luxury vehicles for senior officials - including 12 Toyota Fortuners and a Toyota Prado VX200 for the Town Clerk - despite its deteriorating financial state.

Residents and business associations have condemned the move as a display of misplaced priorities.

"You can't claim to be broke while splurging on luxury cars," said one business leader. "The leadership at Town House continues to show a lack of empathy and fiscal discipline."

The latest developments underscore the deep financial crisis engulfing the capital city - where executive extravagance and weak governance have persisted even as basic services such as water supply, waste collection and road maintenance continue to collapse.