Staff Reporter
Kwekwe City Council’s Mayor Albert Zinhanga has made shocking revelations after admitting that some council workers are being forced to pay for vehicle repairs from their own pockets to keep essential services running.
Speaking after a full council meeting, Mayor Zinhanga acknowledged that rigid procurement procedures are delaying even the most basic repairs, leaving drivers with little choice but to personally fund minor faults such as tyre punctures.
“As a driver, you know when your tyre has been punctured. If the vehicle develops a flat tyre, and knowing that it takes longer to have the tyre fixed due to council procurement policies, you may be forced to dip into your pockets instead of waiting two or three days,” Zinhanga said.
The startling admission sparked concern among councillors, who agreed that the situation is directly undermining service delivery across the city.
“These are critical service delivery issues. We must have petty cash to attend to minor problems such as tyre punctures or replacement of bolts which may cost less than US$3. This is an issue with our policies, and we need to change our procurement policies, especially on service delivery matters,” the mayor said.
The issue was thrust into the spotlight by Ward 11 councillor Panyika Nyika, who challenged the morality and logic of council workers footing the bill for municipal operations.
“Why do our workers end up using their own money to have council vehicles repaired? Is it because they love their jobs so much, or is it due to our failure to repair vehicles using council coffers?” Nyika asked.
Nyika said the situation was unfair and unsustainable, particularly for workers who have repeatedly complained about low wages.
“Our workers should not be forced to dip into their pockets to repair council vehicles. They are already earning meagre salaries. Council must find a solution so that workers can at least enjoy their earnings with their families,” he said.
The revelations have once again cast the spotlight on Kwekwe City Council’s procurement systems, with councillors now under pressure to urgently reform policies blamed for choking basic service delivery.
