Heads to roll at parastatals

Levi Mukarati ,Senior Political Reporter

CABINET has issued an ultimatum for parastatals to implement a host of measures to bring sanity in the State companies amid indications heads could roll in some perennial loss-making entities as the coalition government rings robust changes to stem gross mismanagement and corruption.

The Financial Gazette has it on good authority that a number of senior managers running the affairs of some parastatals face the axe if they fail to take heed of the government’s directive and act within three months.
Sources said Cabinet, on Tuesday, recommended the course of action to be taken by the State companies, including regularising and trimming salaries and allowances of senior management that have contributed to the milking of the ailing parastatals’ much-needed revenue.
The newly appointed Minister of State Enterprises and Parastatals, Gorden Moyo, confirmed the new government position adding that incompetence would not be tolerated within what he termed the enablers of the economy.
He said Cabinet had expressed unhappiness with some board members of certain parastatals who have been sitting on the same boards for more than 10 years and that some boards were not properly constituted.
Moyo said the government had recommended four critical issues that needed to be addressed urgently by those running the parastatals.
“I can confirm that Cabinet looked into the corporate governance compliance and performance of State enterprises and parastatals and recommended that these companies adopt a certain course of action,” said Moyo.
“They are supposed to come up with 2009 financial reports, regularise their salaries along four principles of sustainability, affordability, comparability and reasonableness.
“Again, the boards of directors must be properly constituted and should call for AGMs (annual general meetings) for this year. We have given these parastatals between two and three months to comply with this directive failure of which heads will roll,” said Moyo.
State enterprises have over the past decade struggled to operate viably due to rampant looting of resources and other corrupt activities.
Some top managers of the State entities have attributed their losses to targeted sanctions slapped on President Robert Mugabe, about 200 ZANU-PF officials and several government-owned firms.
But there is a general consensus that most parastatals have been victims of gross mismanagement and corruption amid revelations some chief executive officers of parastatals earn as much as US$15 000 a month, which the loss-making State entities can ill-afford.
Moyo said government would also take corrective action against parastatals that enter into joint ventures and strategic partnerships without following proper channels.
“Some of the joint arrangements are resulting in dilution of government equity in the affected enterprises,” said Moyo.

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written by T, August 06, 2010

Come on we are tired of talk,one time recently there was a Mliswa in the papers, what happened to victims of his actions in the so called 41/42 cases, were they paid back, did they get back what was looted or any reinstatement of some sort ??? Just flowery headlines? We will see the depth of this by seeing the action that follows."X", "Y" "Z" or "G", "N" "whoever" & powers that be can lie to people but they may not succeed in deceiving them, people have spirits in them that enable them to see past masks.Actions, ,rather lack of them , from "X", "Y" "Z" or "G", "N" "whoever" & powers that be ,speak so loud at times its impossible to hear what they say.

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written by Dr Fishzilla, July 30, 2010

What does the salary got to do with sanctions?Let them account for their companies and also turn around the loss making institutions or else they face the axe.My question is what are their boards doing whilist the executive award themselves hefty packages.Its high time we get professional boards running the show but first and foremost the right executive/management in place.
What about Zisco?Is it matter of too big conglomerates not making it or its matter of trying to get close allies to enjoy the cake.I thought the likes of Mittal and Jindal Steel were the best candidates to get on board because of their financial muscle but alas Bob and Welshman thinks otherwise.
Plse lets give Jindal steel a chance panekuti tipe company inopedzisira yatadza p**utanga chaipo pasina nekwamboendwa like the case yeDavid Whitehead.

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written by jojo wepambare, July 30, 2010

Yes it's true the whole Zimbabwe is in desperate need of a clean-up. Let's hope these new guys will keep up their good intentions.

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written by Chembere, July 30, 2010

Unofunga kuti vanoitwei? They are just being used as fronts by those who personally own Zim and all its people. Ask Nherera nezve ZUPCO.

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written by La Bonne, July 29, 2010

jj mugadzaweta, G Pasi ane Masters yakasimba tanga wabvunza apa benzi remunhu wavekundishatirisa pano. That guy is educated, a devout Christian. He is doing a good job. MDC fools stop winging for nothing.

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written by Tukudzai Muchazvirega, July 29, 2010

just go to gmb and see what is happening. the whole institution has been run down telepgones and electricity is being disconnected everyday. we farmers cant get through to the depots ah v**omana musadaro

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written by Jah Bless, July 28, 2010

Ngavaende kuNRZ kwakaita mbiri vozoenda kuZESA, ZIMPOST, NETONE etc. Mbavha chaidzo dzinoda kugut*a maumbu adzo dzichikanganwa vamwe. check salary diff btwn these excectives and vashandi chaivo and you will be shocked.

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written by macjim frank, bulawayo, July 27, 2010

v**omana kuitawo here uku? we r not against them being paid such amounts. we r against the situation in which they enjoying such benefits, at e expense of poor parents here veduwe!!!! service delivery yavo its non-existent!!! nyaraiwo!!!!!!

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written by wakadhakwa, July 26, 2010

ma illegal sanctions ndiwo akati vapanane $15 000 P/M here. dont be tht foolish

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written by Dhiziri paChinhoyi., July 26, 2010

Looting is the main downside of economic progress. Diamonds cant be accounted for. Hanzi ipo pavakaenda kuChinhoyi mazuva edhiziri umwe mukuru anga atoita organise matanker 100 to loot diesel before telling the nation the real quantities available. Rotina Mavhunga akati ndainzwa vanhu vachiti makadhakwa ndikati kunyepa. Bvisai bhutsu.

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written by s****o, July 26, 2010

Unotamba nembwa idzi kana chiadzwa tichashaya kana cent.

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written by makamu, July 25, 2010

Everyone has been stealing for so long now that this has actually become a culture. It is time we called a spade by its proper name.
Air Zimbabwe has not paid its workers in 3 months, some in 17 months. Kana cent here v**omana, nyarai mhani!

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written by J Tsikidzi, July 24, 2010

ma chef stop stealing and these underlings will also stop. let's be fair. Jongwe needs to issue ultimatum to all thta the good times have come to an end. without this the problem will continue unabated.

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written by mandebvu rugwaja, July 24, 2010

vakajaidzwa tsika idzodzo nani

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written by munya marimo, July 24, 2010

its high time we act against these incompetent dudes coz they are giving us a raw deal,lining their pockets n laughing at our silence n sheepishness.ZESA first.................

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written by jj mugadzaweta, July 24, 2010

heyi! 15 000 for gersham pasi who does not even have a degree with teachers some of them with masters degrees on 150. muchero wasarira mudenga wodyiwa newarefu! reform them moyo and arrest the greedy dudes!