By Correspondent
The City of Harare is grappling with a growing salary crisis after it emerged the local authority owes its employees November and December 2025 salaries.
In a letter addressed to the Employment Council for Harare Municipal Undertakings dated 7 January 2026, the City’s Acting Human Capital Department Director, Jabulani Duve confirmed the ordeal.
Duve revealed that the local authority is still clearing outstanding salaries stretching back to October and November 2025.
Responding to the salary concerns the municipality blamed delays on severe cash-flow challenges.
“As management we take note of the issues that were raised by the employee party regarding the delays in paying the salaries.
“The delays have been caused by the current cash flow constraints that the City is experiencing.
“However, please be advised that so far, we have cleared the October 2025 salaries and we are up to date with our Nostro payments”, wrote Duve.
The council further disclosed that outstanding employee bonuses had been converted into United States dollars to protect their value against inflation.
The payment of the bonus backlog is expected to begin with Grade 7 employees and proceed downwards.
In a bid to boost revenue and ease the salary burden, the municipality said it has deployed revenue collection teams at regional level.
This is meant to intensify the collection of rentals, licences and lease fees.
Civic Groups Angry
However, the development has sparked outrage from civic groups.
The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has accussed Harare management of neglecting workers while prioritising workshops and travel.
HRT also criticised workers unions.
It alleges they have aligned themselves with council management at the expense of employees.
“What pains the general workforce is that Harare City trade unions have gone into bed with the corrupt cartels in the council who constitute the council management.
“The workers are frustrated.
“Councillors and managers are having workshop after workshop, HRT said in a social media post.
Efforts to obtain a comment from City of Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, were unsuccessful as his phone was unreachable at the time of publication.
