HARARE mayor Jacob Mafume stepped in to douse the flames after council nurses threatened to down tools over a basket of welfare grievances, a commission of inquiry investigating council operations heard.
Commission evidence leader Tapiwa Godzi questioned Mafume why he participated in collective bargaining meetings.
In response, Mafume said it was part of his duty to ensure council operations do not grind to a halt before revealing that council nurses wanted to down tools.
“We have 800 nurses and if I am unable to persuade them not to go on a go slow; we have got cholera, diarrhoea, the rains are coming. I have to participate to persuade them not to go on strike,” he said.
He said one of the grievances of the nurses was that the municipal medical aid scheme was not benefiting them.
“The workers are not being paid, the medical aid is being rejected at hospitals,” he submitted, alleging that the scheme was being abused.
“Properties are being bought and their title deeds are not given to the council. Money is being paid twice. My workers are not getting treatment. And I went to ask what was happening with the medical aid.”
Mafume said he attended the Municipal Medical Aid Association meetings after getting word that the scheme was being abused.
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“I did attend because US$1 million has been stolen.”
Mafume said the council salary bill was around US$2 million.
“Currently, we are in a difficult operating environment. We employ close to 9 000 employees. We have a salary bill that goes to about US$2 million a month.
“The moment we stop and we are unable to have harmonious labour relations with the employees, the trade unions, then all the functions of the council will grind to a halt.”
The City of Harare is also grappling with various service delivery challenges.
