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Cuthbert Dub

Paidamoyo Chipunza Health Reporter
Sacked Premier Service Medical Aid Society group chief executive officer Dr Cuthbert Dube retired late last year, but was immediately re-employed on a contract basis and with a raft of benefits that indicate he could have earned even more than the US$6 million per annum that The Herald perviously reported.

A well-placed source yesterday revealed more details of Dr Dube’s salary and benifits.
“His new contract was supposed to last for the next 10 years,” said the source.

Dr Dube was getting a lump sum payment of US$500 000 every five years as a loyalty bonus and PSMAS was to buy him a house worth at least half-a-million US dollars when he retired.

He had travel allowances averaging US$48 000 per trip regardless of the destination, and a further US$17 000 for his partner. They would both fly first class.

Dr Dube was paid sitting allowances by the board and for 13 other committees that he sat on, netting him around US$32 000 every month.

These committees included those for audit, benefits, constitution, procurement, finance and budget.
In 2013, Dr Dube got US$40 000 per week for three months for his medical treatment. That came to US$48 000 in medical assistance over the period.

Further, he got free groceries, unlimited fuel, unlimited hotel stay and free medical aid cover every month, on top of his salary.
In addition, he was given a 20 percent stake in both PSMAS and its subsidiary, Premier Service Medical Investments (Pvt) Ltd.

He also had two guards at his two residential houses for 24 hours, two maids, two gardeners, two chefs and two drivers. All these were paid for by PSMAS.

Sources said several executives also had slightly lower benefits.
The organisation has eight executives who earned not less than US$60 000 each.

“The salaries, allowances and benefits are way beyond the Zimbabwean economy,” said the sources.
“Worse still, when the same institution is failing to meet its obligation of paying service providers on behalf of their members.”

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said yesterday that they were still looking into affairs at PSMAS.
“We are doing everything that we can to make sure sanity prevails at PSMAS for the benefit not only of the society’s members, but the country at large,” he said.

PSMI managing director Dr Farai Muchena has taken over as acting CEO at PSMAS, while Mr Luckson Zembe was appointed substantive board chair.

The board has reduced the salaries of all executives, but the group CEO will still get US$60 000 monthly.