Zimpapers Logo

The swift action by the PSMAS board in cutting the salaries of the organisation’s executives after the expose by this paper is to be commended. However, we feel obliged to note that this is not enough. As far as we know a Government directive ordering all parastatal bosses to get a maximum salary of $5000 a month has not been repealed.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo’s announcement that Government will act on huge salaries for all parastatal bosses has been welcomed by all and sundry.

But what is especially worrying is how and why the rot has been allowed to fester over the past years?
Where were the responsible ministers and their staff?

Is it not the ministers’ duty to know and regulate the operations of the parastatals that fall under their portfolio? What engendered this apparent inertia and willingness to stand by while the country was being run into the ground?

It has taken new ministers at the helm of to expose the problems in places like ZBC, MMCZ and Marange Resources. It is inconceivable that former ministers responsible for those portfolios were not aware of the problems. So what is happening in the ministries where the same ministers have remained in charge?

We would like to urge all responsible ministers not to wait until the media have highlighted the problem before acting.
There is serious need for comprehensive audits into the operations of all these institutions.

Audits should look at the issue of ghost workers, capacity of key personnel beyond paper qualifications, salary schedules and abuse of assets.
Investigations should also be made into the tender processes including full disclosure of any links between executives and the companies that do business with the state enterprises and institutions.

The nation is still awaiting the outcome of investigations and resultant action at ZBC following the suspension of Happison Muchechetere.
It is clear that the systemic plundering of parastatals, state institutions and state linked enterprises is widespread.

Decisive action on the ZBC matter would send a message that the other CEOs and boards will not be able to ignore.
The deadline for parastatals to hand in their pay schedules has gone past and everyone would like to know what the bosses at GMB, DDF, Zupco, Zinara, NRZ, TelOne, ZESA, Kingstons and MMCZ are taking home. All of them have failed to deliver with some of them now practically comatose.

We also believe that the same rule should apply to other state institutions like Zimra, RBZ, CAAZ, Portraz, EMA, ZTA and ARDA should also come under the spotlight.

Ratepayers eagerly await Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo’s release of local authorities’ salary schedules next week Monday which he set as the deadline for submission. This comes at a time when the City of Harare executive has reportedly refused to reveal its salary schedule to councillors who are the elected representatives of the ratepayers.

We also want to take this chance to point out that the country has a high rate of unemployment and there are many superbly qualified people who can fill many of the posts in question at the remuneration rates recommended by Government. And chances are high these people will be better.

The country cannot afford to keep on fattening selfish individuals who are not giving any service.
On the other hand if the executives should prove their worth by giving us efficient and timely service, no one will begrudge them and grand salaries and huge perks.

For they would have earned it.
Corruption is not limited to Africa but what separates us from other nations is the will to deal with it.
A few years back the British parliament faced a scandal where MPs defrauded the state of amounts going beyond $200 000 dollars in inflated and false scams.

But the looters were named and shamed and made to pay back what they had stolen.
We need that culture in this country and new set of executives who believe in serving the nation, not serving themselves to public funds.