The municipality has been paying its workers a third of their salaries since August, citing cash flow problems. Victoria Falls Mayor, Nkosilathi Jiyane, confirmed the development, saying the local authority was broke.
Jiyane said the financial problems at the municipality started when the Labour Court ruled that the employees be given a 32 percent salary increase in August.
“The reality on the ground is that the municipality is struggling to meet the new salary bill after the Labour Court ruling. The wage bill is more than our revenue, that is why we are behind in terms of paying our workers their salaries in full,” Jiyane said.
The lowest paid Victoria Falls municipality employee earns between $200 and $250 after the adjustment following the Labour Court ruling.
Management at the municipality told The Zimbabwean the municipality’s wage bill shot to over $300 000 from less than $200 000 after the ruling against monthly revenue of about $270 000.
However, city council employees dispute that the municipality cannot afford to meet their salary demands after the local authority recently purchased an ‘S’ Class Mercedes Benz for the Mayor.
Post published in: News