I have to persuade nurses not to make tools: mayor -Newsday Zimbabwe

The mayor of Harare Jacob Mafume

The mayor of Harare, Jacob Mafume, intervened to water the flames after the council nurses threatened with tools on a basket of social grievances, heard a commission of inquiry into the operations of the Council.

The chief proof of the commission, Tapiwa Godzi, asked Mafume why he had participated in collective negotiation meetings.

In response, Mafume said he was part of his duty to make sure that council operations do not stop before revealing that council nurses wanted to reduce the tools.

“We have 800 nurses and if I am unable to persuade them not to go slowly; We have cholera, diarrhea, the rains arrive. I have to participate to persuade them not to go on strike, “he said.

He said that one of the nurses was that the municipal medical aid program does not benefit them.

“Workers are not paid, medical aid is rejected in hospitals,” he said, alleging that the program was mistreated.

“Properties are purchased and their acts of title are not given to the council. The money is paid twice. My workers do not receive treatment. And I went to ask what was going on with medical help. »»

Mafume said he had attended the meetings of the Municipal Medical Aid Association after learning that the program was mistreated.

“I attended because 1 million US dollars were stolen.”

Mafume said that the Council Salaries Bill was around $ 2 million US dollars.

“Currently, we are in a difficult operating environment. We employ nearly 9,000 employees. We have a salary bill that goes to around $ 2 million a month.

“As we stop and we cannot have harmonious working relations with employees, unions, then all the functions of the council will stop.”

The City of Harare is also struggling with various challenges for providing services.

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