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Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
IN yet another circus at Town House, Harare City Council has taken a decision to “discipline” acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube by rejecting all documents and committee resolutions she took part in while on suspension. Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni on November 4 this year suspended Mrs Ncube after an audit by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing revealed council officials continued to earn obscene salaries.

This was in disregard of a Government directive ordering all municipalities to significantly reduce management salaries. Despite the suspension, Mrs Ncube continued to report for duty at the advice of her lawyers.

The lawyers dismissed her suspension as null and void. They further argued that Mrs Ncube had implemented the Government directive when she took charge.

At a full council meeting last Thursday, Clr Manyenyeni said Mrs Ncube continued to attend to council business after the suspension. “I do not think she ever stopped coming to work. It is so unfortunate,” he said.

Kuwadzana councillor Resias Masunda said although council agreed with the decision taken by Government to reverse Mrs Ncube’s suspension, she was not supposed to report for work until her case was finalised.

“She should be disciplined,” he said.

Following debate, council agreed with Government’s position to lift Mrs Ncube’s suspension, but insisted that she must be punished. It asked the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee to deal with the matter.

It also resolved that all committee reports be sent back to their respective committees as Mrs Ncube sat in some of them while on suspension. Council noted she also signed some documents.

Government reversed Harare City Council’s decision to suspend Mrs Ncube saying council “jumped the gun”. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said procedure was flouted.

According to the audit report, city executives continued to earn salaries of between $12 000 and $21 000 per month from October 2014 to June 2015. Government had set the salaries at $10 450 for the highest earners.

More than 30 managers benefited. Mrs Ncube, through her lawyer Mr Sternford Moyo of Scanlen and Holderness, argues that during the period in question the town clerk was Dr Tendai Mahachi.

“Consequently, levelling these allegations against our client is grossly unreasonable and entirely devoid of merit,” said Mr Moyo. As the circus continues at Town House, workers have gone for months without salaries and morale is rock bottom. This in turn has affected service delivery.