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Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council is seeking Government approval to rehire casual workers, who had been discarded after their contracts expired. The move followed poor service delivery in the city which management is blaming on manpower shortage.

Council wants low-grade workers for storm drain clearance and attending to water and sewer blockages.

The city’s Human Resources and General Purposes Committee tasked town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi to seek ministerial approval to hire former casual employees in the Department of Engineering Services.

According to recent minutes of the committee, councillors enquired on the position of employees who were employed in the Engineering Services Department whose contracts expired.

The city’s human capital and public safety director Dr Cainos Chingombe advised that they would seek Government approval to rehire them.

“The town clerk supported the position on this matter. He further cited the expected expansion of the city eastwards as part of the grounds for seeking ministerial approval to rehire the former workers,” reads part of the committee’s minutes.

Chairperson of the committee councillor Wellington Chikombo on Wednesday said the city had a challenge on general labourers because the current workforce was not enough for efficient service delivery.

“We faced problems regarding the clearing of storm water drains, among other things, because we do not have enough manpower to provide such services,” he said.

“We carried out a rationalisation process which is still ongoing. We want to make sure we have the right people at the right positions.

“We had 46 managers which were reduced to 36 and 16 directors which were trimmed to six. That process is going to save $6,4 million annually.”

Clr Chikombo said council was moving towards achieving the 70-30 salary to service delivery ratio prescribed by Government.

“However, we are cognisant that if the rationalisation process is implemented hurriedly we end up walking on a legal minefield,” he said.

The downsizing exercise saw council reducing the number of its employees from 10 610 to 9 271.

The city expects the monthly salary bill to go down by approximately $1,3 million per month, translating to an annual saving of about $15 million on employment costs.