Salary scales baffle

Plata axed as Mnquma manager after questioning packages

CRISES continue to rock the embattled Mnquma local municipality as employee salaries have been questioned by the recently axed acting municipal manager.

The “tailor-made” salaries have left many employees furious as they earned a fraction of what others on the same salary scale were earning.

Acting manager Zonwabele Plata was removed from his acting position recently as he was reviewing exorbitant salaries earned by staff members. He was replaced by Themba Hani.

A Saturday Dispatch investigation can reveal that some managers had packages more than the municipal manager or the chief financial officer Lubabalo Manjingolo.

Mayor Thobeka Bikitsha is also rated as one of the low-paid employees.

Dispatch has found out that one employee was earning more than her immediate manager.

Sources within the municipality said Plata, when acting manager, was not happy with the situation, but received resistance from some officials.

“Plata wanted to clean this municipality and do job evaluations for all the employees.

“One employee earns more money than her manager while many managers who report to the CFO, earn more than him.”

The source said managers were suppose to “take home” between R22 000 and R27 000 but took between R35 000 to R45 000 a month.

Two personal assistants (PA) were earning R25 000 and R21 000 a month respectively while other PAs were taking home R10 000 a month.

Senior officials in the municipal manager’s office were said to be earning almost double what mayor Bikitsha earned.

Dispatch has seen the salaries of officials earning more than what they were supposed to get, including one earning more than the municipal manager.

The manager’s current annual salary band is R885 394 to R1 104 255. The employee’s 2015 salary was R898 876 to R992 192.

Dispatch understands this employee’s annual salary is R1.3-million.

The sources further say Bikitsha and Manjingolo were earning very low salaries.

“These two are earning ridiculously low salaries while they are controlling the municipal purse.

“Some people who report to Manjingolo, earn better than him while some officials in the mayor’s office were earning very close to her salary,” the source said.

The municipality’s monthly salary bill stands at more than R16-million. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za