PSMAS boss doubled pay limit: Sources

PSMASPaidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
Premier Service Medical Aid Society managing director Mr Henry Mandishona allegedly almost doubled the salary limit set by the interim management, it has been learnt.

The Herald has it on good authority that the PSMAS board of directors met in Harare on Wednesday night to deliberate on Mr Mandishona’s salary and ascertained that it was indeed beyond the set limit.

“No one knows how he ended up getting that salary, but definitely that is not what was set by the interim management,” said an inside source.

It is further alleged that Mr Mandishona awarded two heads of department, Messrs Farai Jemwa (human resources) and Elia Madondo (head of finance) whom he recruited recently, salaries that were also above the prescribed limit, a move that reportedly derailed efforts to contain costs and channel money towards improved services to subscribers.

It is understood that the heads of department were earning about $15 000 per month, three times what they were expected to get.

Mr Mandishona also faces allegations of forging documents and abuse of office by misrepresenting the board’s position to stakeholders and giving himself unapproved allowances.

It is understood that in some instances he would write letters to stakeholders and sign off as if they were coming from the board when the board was unaware of such correspondence.

“He had already created for himself a title of group managing director, which does not exist in PSMAS structures and we think it is this title that he was using to flex his muscles,” said a source who didn’t want to be named.

“It is upon this background that the board agreed to make disciplinary hearings against Mr Mandishona,” said the source.

It is understood Mr Mandishona was served with the charges yesterday and is expected to appear before a disciplinary hearing soon.

Contacted for comment last night, Mr Mandishona said he had not seen the charges.

He is currently on leave after he was forced by the new board to step aside at the beginning of the month pending investigations in relation to his office.

PSMAS board chairperson, Mr Jeremiah Bvirindi, is on record saying his team was failing to totally transform the country’s largest medical insurer because the MD was withholding information vital for the success of the process.

Mr Mandishona was appointed to the office on May 1 this year after PSMAS members agreed to abolish the post of group chief executive officer at an annual general meeting held in Harare.

He had only served for four months at the helm of the society after serving as human resources director for the society’s investment arm – Premier Service Medical Investments (PSMI).

Sources allied to him dismissed all allegations saying they were trumped up to frustrate his efforts to curb corruption and turn around the fortunes of the society.

At the time of going to print last night, The Herald had not ascertained the fate of Mr Jemwa and Mr Madondo who were both sent on forced leave pending investigations into their appointments.

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