NRZ Bosses Rake $1Mil
6 April 2016
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The National Railways of Zimbabwe top management received almost $1 million in salaries last year processed through an executive bank account held with a local bank, The Herald Business has learnt. The revelations come at a time when NRZ workers have not been paid their 2015 salaries. NRZ workers are currently on strike to force the company to pay up. NRZ acting general manager Lewis Mukwada confirmed the payments to senior management but said other junior workers were also paid in the same way.
“The payments that went through the executive account in 2015 related to 2014 salaries that were still being disbursed. It is thus not true that management salaries are up to date,” said Eng Mukwada.
“Payments to NRZ executives have a separate pay office and are processed through an executive bank account held at CBZ bank. This is in line with common industry practice. The manner in which NRZ has been disbursing its salaries is that it starts with the lowest paid first and end up with senior management,” he said.
“Because these disbursements are not covering the full salary, and sometimes stretch to more than one month before the next disbursement is made, the organisation has cumulatively picked up 14 months of salary arrears. This applies to everyone, including senior management.”
Eng Mukwada said there is nothing untoward about the method of payment for senior management as it was common practice in business.
“The managers whose salaries are paid through the executive account are the general manager, directors and branch heads (a total of 20 members of senior management). Allowances for the NRZ board members are also processed through the Executive account,” he said.
Information at hand shows $843 318,86 was moved from the NRZ main account into the National Railways of Zimbabwe Executive Account Number 20220310136 held with CBZ, Bulawayo, during 2015. Total debits from the executive account for the 12 months amounted to $844 662,90. From that executive account, top management received varying amounts sometimes thrice a month.
The executive account, which opened January 2015 with a balance of $3 605,61 received $97 000 in the same month made up of $10 000, $50 000, $20 000, on January 9, 14 and 19 respectively.
More deposits were made on 20 and 27 of the same month of $12 000 and $5 000 respectively.
Many more deposits were to be made into the account throughout the year, bringing the total to $843 318,86. The documents show that Eng Mukwada received a total $44 386, in varying amounts some as high as $3 833 received in January last year. During some months, Eng Mukwada received as many as three payments.
For instance, Eng Mukwada received two payments of $2 928 and $1 227 in September and two more payments in October of $2 811 and $1 114.
Furthermore, he received three payments on December 14, 18 and 31 of $2 973, $1 114 and $2 020 respectively. The late technical services director, Egnettah Kurebwaseka received up to $85 687 during the year.
Other top managers who received payment from the same account include the former operations manager Dannies Nyoni who received $68 058. Mr Nyoni has since left NRZ.
Marketing director Elector Mafunga received $45 924 throughout the year while human resources manager Gilbert Ndlovu made $38 477 paid out in varying amounts.
The national rail carrier is currently locked in a fight with workers who say that they have not been paid for the last 15 months. The workers have downed tools in protest accusing managers of creaming off while they sink deeper into poverty.
The Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers Union president, Kamurai Moyo said NRZ workers were owed for the whole of 2015. However, the organisation paid workers last year to clear arrears for 2014.
“Railways employees have not been paid their salaries for the whole of 2015. Workers were receiving salary arrears for 2014. For 2014, NRZ is paying 80 percent of monthly salaries,” said Mr Moyo.
He said so far employees in sub grade A1-B2, NRZ’s lower grades, have been paid their 80 percent for January 2015. For employees in the B3-B5 sub grades management has offered to pay varying amounts which the workers are not sure how they were arrived at.
Other beneficiaries from the same account include Shadreck Ndabambi — $19 973; David Sithole — $27 698, among others.
NRZ is wholly owned by Government and was established to provide, operate and maintain an efficient system of public transportation of goods and passengers by rail.
The NRZ operates a rail network stretching 2760 route kilometres of 1067mm gauge track. But the parastatal is operating well below capacity due to operational challenges including obsolete systems and the general economic environment.-State Media

One Reply to “NRZ Bosses Rake $1Mil”

  1. Why are we bombarded with the Victoria Chitepo audio everytime one opens any story on Zimeye…Mr editor why the voice over your stories…it is disturbing and nauseating particularly for some of us who dont give a hoot about ZANU people dead or alive….

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