HARARE - The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has submitted its salary schedule to President Robert Mugabe following a government directive.
This comes amid massive expose´ of abnormally hefty salaries earned by parastatals’ top management.
In the wake of that, government recently ordered heads of State-owned entities to submit their salaries and benefits schedules.
“Zera ? like any other parastatal ? has complied with the directive and we tendered our remuneration schedules to government,” said Gloria Magombo, Zera chief executive.
Zera is one of the few government companies among 78 parastatals and State enterprises that are performing efficiently.
Since its establishment in 2011, the energy regulator has opened up the electricity sector to private players.
It is understood that while public enterprises are required to routinely submit remuneration and board fees schedules, some institutions have failed to comply.
This, coupled with the revelations, prompted Mugabe’s office to wade into the “salarygate” to investigate rampant abuse of public funds by the parastatal bosses and regulate “obscene” salaries.
Last week, Christian Katsande, the deputy chief secretary in the President’s office said government was working towards curbing corruption in its structures.
“This is a matter government is seized with and this matter should be attended to not only in the public sector, but also the private sector,” he said.
“We are going to see the application of the corporate governance framework in the public sector. Right now, we have been working on a corporate governance framework where we have engaged the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe.
“We hope to work going forward and we want to make sure we are properly guided,” added Katsande.
Corporate governance has been lax in government structures with some individuals sitting on more than five boards.
The corporate governance framework was developed to improve efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and clarity in terms of responsibilities and accountability.
The framework also covers issues that have to do with the role of shareholders, boards and senior management, general meetings, financial governance, compliance and reporting and State enterprises are expected to comply with the framework.
Over the past few months, there has been a public outcry following disclosures of salaries of parastatal bosses including that of former Premier Services Medical Aid Society (Psmas) chief executive Cuthbert Dube, who was earning approximately $230 000 per month.
Apart from Dube, eight more Psmas executives were earning mega-salaries and perks.
At Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings, suspended chief executive Happison Muchechetere was reportedly earning nearly $40 000 monthly.
Muchechetere and top management at the national broadcaster also allegedly awarded themselves housing loans and lucrative allowances, while the majority of workers wallowed in abject poverty without salaries for over half a year.
Treasury had to intervene and paid the workers last month.
Harare City Council has also been rocked by the salary scam, with town clerk Tendai Mahachi and 16 directors earning huge salaries, while the municipality is battling to pay workers.