News / National
BCC introduces palisade fencing, to get rid of security guards
15 Aug 2016 at 06:48hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has introduced palisade fencing, doing away with security guards, in a development expected to save the municipality about $1 million a year in overtime allowances.
The municipality installed palisade fences at its 33 water and pump stations situated across the city, redeploying its security guards to other areas. BCC's acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou on Friday said palisade fencing will assist the council in dealing with the contentious salary issue.
She was speaking at the commissioning of a palisade fence and Aisleby 3 sewerage treatment works. "This will help us to meet the 30:70 salaries to revenue ratio prescribed for staff.
"The council will now be able to save about $1 million a year in overtime allowances besides improving conditions of service for the security guards who were stationed alone in bushy areas far away from people. This will also improve service delivery," said Mrs Zhou.
Speaking at the same event, the city's Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo said the council installation of palisade fencing was a testimony of using technology to solve institutional challenges.
He said deploying manpower at water pumps was gobbling a lot of money as the premises had to be guarded at all times. "With the financial challenges facing council and the nation at large, this had become unsustainable hence the need to use technology and physical barrier fences, razor wire and remotely monitored alarm system at 33 sites in the city at the contract price of $337 800," he said.
He said commissioning of Aisleby 3 sewerage treatment works was confirmation of the city's commitment to improving waste management.
Clr Moyo said the city is aware of the need to address issues to do with raw affluent being discharged into Umguza River.
"The commissioning of Aisleby 3 treatment works is by no means the final solution to the problems of environmental pollution. We still have a lot to do at Aisleby 1 and 2. It is our hope that this will lead to functioning sewer works," said Clr Moyo.
"What we're doing today is the beginning of an arduous road towards a pollution-free Umguza catchment, an area where man and nature will in live in harmony, and a place where man and nature will exist in ecological equilibrium."
He called on the Environmental Management Agency not to fine the council over pollution saying the fines were becoming a hindrance in addressing effluent problems.
The municipality installed palisade fences at its 33 water and pump stations situated across the city, redeploying its security guards to other areas. BCC's acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou on Friday said palisade fencing will assist the council in dealing with the contentious salary issue.
She was speaking at the commissioning of a palisade fence and Aisleby 3 sewerage treatment works. "This will help us to meet the 30:70 salaries to revenue ratio prescribed for staff.
"The council will now be able to save about $1 million a year in overtime allowances besides improving conditions of service for the security guards who were stationed alone in bushy areas far away from people. This will also improve service delivery," said Mrs Zhou.
Speaking at the same event, the city's Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo said the council installation of palisade fencing was a testimony of using technology to solve institutional challenges.
He said deploying manpower at water pumps was gobbling a lot of money as the premises had to be guarded at all times. "With the financial challenges facing council and the nation at large, this had become unsustainable hence the need to use technology and physical barrier fences, razor wire and remotely monitored alarm system at 33 sites in the city at the contract price of $337 800," he said.
He said commissioning of Aisleby 3 sewerage treatment works was confirmation of the city's commitment to improving waste management.
Clr Moyo said the city is aware of the need to address issues to do with raw affluent being discharged into Umguza River.
"The commissioning of Aisleby 3 treatment works is by no means the final solution to the problems of environmental pollution. We still have a lot to do at Aisleby 1 and 2. It is our hope that this will lead to functioning sewer works," said Clr Moyo.
"What we're doing today is the beginning of an arduous road towards a pollution-free Umguza catchment, an area where man and nature will in live in harmony, and a place where man and nature will exist in ecological equilibrium."
He called on the Environmental Management Agency not to fine the council over pollution saying the fines were becoming a hindrance in addressing effluent problems.
Source - chronicle
