Bulawayo mayor David Coltart reveals earning US$25 monthly wage
By Staff Reporter
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has revealed he earns just US$25 a month as he sought to ward off claims he was clinging onto the post for some rich pickings associated with the job.
Coltart, once the country’s education minister in the now defunct unity government that subsisted between 2009 and 2013, declared earlier he would not relinquish his mayoral job to follow party leader Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa quit last month as CCC leader citing frustrations associated with the seizure of his party by self-styled CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu.
The opposition chief has been followed in his decision by a handful sitting and former party legislators as he seeks to form a new party.
Trolls have taken Coltart to task for his bold declaration he will not betray city residents by quitting.
Coltart has been adamant any attempts to abandon his job will be a regression from efforts he has put in place so far to remedy the troubled authority’s challenges.
His critics say he has chosen to sacrifice principle so he could benefit from his job.
But Coltart, who once said he does not wish to drive in a plush mayoral car at the expense of suffering residents, revealed he was only being paid a paltry US$25 for all his troubles.
“Just in case anyone questions my assertion that I get paid US$25 per month for the privilege of being Mayor, here is my allowance slip for January. I omitted to mention that I am actually paid this in Z$ at the official rate – so last month my total allowance/remuneration was Z$ 138,575.40.
“For those from outside of #Zimbabwe in case you are impressed the official interbank today is US$1:Z$10082. So, the Z$138,575 now equates to US $13.74!
“To be clear I am not complaining because I knew what I was getting into before being elected. But just don’t let it be said that I am in it for the money!” he said.
