Makana will pay its salaries and bonuses on time this month. This promise has come along with the news that the city's manager is finally officially employed.
Makana will pay its salaries and bonuses on time this month. This promise has come along with the news that the city's manager is finally officially employed.
Seven months after starting his job, Municipal Manager Pravine Naidoo has signed an employment contract and performance agreement, municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma has confirmed Naidoo's contract had stalled over its value.
Using an offer from Ekurhuleni Municipality as leverage, he tried to negotiate a R1.5 million package from Makana.
The council initially refused.
Media Relations Head at Ekurhuleni Municipality Mandlakazi Mpahlwa confirmed that Naidoo had indeed been offered the remuneration packaged but had declined it.
“Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality offered Dr Pravine Naidoo the position of Head of Department: Customer Relationship Management at a remuneration package of R1.5 million but he declined the offer,” she said in an emailed statement.
Municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma confirmed this week that Naidoo's contract had been resolved, but would not divulge the details.
"We can confirm that the Mayor has interacted with the contract and it has been finalised between the two parties, but it remains a confidential matter," Boma said. "It's the Mayor's prerogative to negotiate a package with an employee.
"We also confirm that the MM has signed the employment contract and his performance agreement.
"As to the contents of the contract and his remuneration, I can't be speaking about this until it is noted by Council."
Boma said there were no delays anticipated in the payment of staff salaries and bonuses this month.
Crucial to the payment of bonuses to directors, however, was that they had signed performance agreements.
Boma said he would confirm with Naidoo whether they had done so yet.
Regarding the financial crisis that saw unpaid employees protesting outside the city hall last month, Boma said Council had set up a committee to look into the finances of the institution.
"We have also made a commitment as the management that all the salaries and bonuses will be paid this month," Boma said.
"The committee will give us an update about the state of financial affairs, but salaries and bonuses will be paid on time."
Boma emphasised that Naidoo's contract would go before Council for noting, not approval.
"It is not their decision to make," Boma said.
