WORKERS at Harare’s biggest water treatment plant, Morton
Jaffray, are allegedly involved in serious corruption – using official working
hours for fishing and other personal business while abusing company vehicles,
it has emerged.
Though millions of dollars have been poured into the
refurbishment of the plant, including half of the US$144 million sourced from a
Chinese bank, no progress has been made to improve water pumping to millions of
residents within greater Harare amid reports of underhand dealings, dereliction
of duty and lack of supervision.
Town House officials have also blamed the situation on
maladministration and management’s lack of seriousness in dealing with issues.
The major water treatment plant, observers said, has now
been turned into a “fishery” where people spend time engaged in fishing
business at the expense of their duties.
Investigations showed that workers come to work for two
hours or less and spend the rest of the time fishing, yet they are considered
to have worked for eight hours.
“The plant is dirty, but it has many workers who spend much
of their time catching fish than on council business,” a council source said.
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Pictures of council vehicles being used to transport meat
from poachers and manure have gone viral on social media.
“Workers, who report for overtime duty end up doing private
business and we have a situation where empty containers are sold in United
States dollars while council gets local currency,” the source said.
In the canteen, it emerged, workers who come for three
hours are paid full shift allowances and overtime, something Town House
described as fraud.
It also emerged that canteen workers were receiving
chemical allowances when in fact, they do not handle such hazardous materials and
it could not be established who was benefiting from the canteen proceeds.
“There is also gross abuse of vehicles for personal use by
officials at the plant,” he source added.
It also emerged that the plant electricity was being abused
by officials who have illegally connected power for other uses outside pumping
water.
Harare mayor Herbert Gomba yesterday confirmed the rot at
the water treatment plant, saying he would have a meeting with the town clerk
on the matter.
“We cannot have a situation where supervision has collapsed
to levels of impunity,” he said.
“I have seen the abuses myself and I am sure it is
happening. I will investigate allowance payments and ensure we bring sanity.
Workers must be productive or be made to be and managers must be pushed to do
that. This cannot continue,” Gomba said.
Town clerk Hosea Chisango, however, said it was unlikely
that this was happening, adding that Morton Jaffray was well-monitored as it
was a small community.
“We have people on shifts 24/7 and we have supervisors on
the ground at any given time,” he said, adding that there were CCTVs at the
plant to monitor workers’ performance.
Chisango recently came under fire from Harare Metropolitan
Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu for allegedly failing to properly run the
affairs of the city.
Officials said a forensic audit must be carried out to
establish the depth of the corrupt activities at Town House. Newsday
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