Car loans for Masvingo bosses, now councillors want the same

And now councillors are demanding the same treatment as managers.

According to latest council minutes, the council’s entire top tier of managers, including the town clerk, town engineer, the treasurer and chamber secretary, are set to benefit from the loan facility.

The cars, according to the minutes, would be used for both personal and council business.

Although it could not be established how much the car loan facility would cost, sources within council said that the local authority would fork out a staggering $300,000.

Chief health and environmental health officer Zvapano Munganasa, who is set to benefit from the loan facility, told the full council meeting recently that council would save money if it provided loans to its top management.

“We as beneficiaries of the facility will meet all service costs on our own,” said Munganasa. “If we use council vehicles, it means council would have to pay for servicing those vehicles, but in this case we will do it ourselves.”

According to the minutes council will only pay for the fuel for the cars to be used by the managers. Masvingo mayor Councillor Hubert Fidze this week confirmed the situation but said no resolution had been made.

Councillor Geish Mundondo told full council that the same facility should be extended to councilors, but the request was turned down because it would need ministerial approval.

Residents of Masvingo have criticised the move and are now demanding a salary schedule for the council’s top management.

Masvingo United Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (MURRA) said it would need the salary schedule for top management to see that the managers were not getting abnormally large salaries.

MURRA also called on council to stop the intended personal car loan facility, arguing that the city should focus on service delivery in the city where water has been a problem for years.