City directors’ case worries Manyenyeni
HARARE mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni has expressed concern at the slow pace at which the disciplinary committee set up to hear cases of four Harare council directors suspended over alleged financial abuse, is going about their business.
The suspended directors are Acting Town Clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube, human capital director Dr Cainos Chingombe, finance director Mr Tendai Kwenda and health services director Dr Prosper Chonzi.
In an interview recently, Clr Manyenyeni said there was no way the committee could meet the end of February deadline, which passed on Wednesday.
“The matters you are referring to are receiving due consideration,” he said. “The process is slower than we would have expected, but the matter is under active execution.
“I wish to revisit the February deadline because the process is taking longer than anticipated. We are empowered to proceed with a disciplinary hearing or hearings and those are taking place, albeit at a slower pace than you and I would have expected.”
Asked if this would not increase costs to council, Clr Manyenyeni said: “The costs are set by council.”
The four were suspended last year, following a report by a tribunal set up in February, to investigate council’s compliance on containing the local authority’s employment costs.
The four once boycotted disciplinary hearings, arguing that their suspensions were in breach of provisions of Section 140 of the Urban Councils Act.
The letters written to the directors read, “You are entitled to be present at the hearing and to be represented by a representative of your choice. You are entitled to call witnesses in your defence. You must make the necessary arrangements with your witnesses.
“If you fail to appear before the disciplinary authority at the place and time specified above, the hearing will proceed in your absence to possible detriment of your interests.”
According to an audit report sanctioned by the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry, seven executives continued to earn between $12 000 and $21 000 from October 2014 to June 2015, as opposed to $10 450 for the highest earner stipulated by Government.
This, the report indicated, prejudiced the city of over $550 000.
The directors argued that the salaries were granted by the Kurasha Commission of 2005 and 2008, that empowered the town clerk to review allowances for executive managers following the special audit report.