Government has begun a comprehensive skills audit at the Harare City Council, a major step aimed at closing long-standing competency gaps and strengthening the capacity of the capital’s local authority. The initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development and the Harare City Council, officially setting the audit process in motion at Town House yesterday.
In an interview with media after the signing ceremony, Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume welcomed the partnership, describing it as a crucial move toward rebuilding council effectiveness and restoring public confidence in service delivery.
“We want to ensure that our workforce is skilled for the jobs that they do, and for us to be able to do this, we have to undertake this programme of auditing the skills that are there and see how we can improve the skill set. We will work with the Government, we understand they are there to assist us in enhancing our workforce,” he said.
The skills audit will examine whether employees possess the competencies required for their roles, identify training needs and map out staffing gaps that affect essential services such as water supply, waste management, road repairs and billing systems. The findings are expected to form the basis for reforms, retraining and potential restructuring.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ambassador Rudo Chitiga, said the programme will not be limited to Harare but will eventually be extended to all local authorities to help drive nationwide improvements in public sector performance.
“We are sure that this will improve service delivery, and we hope they will continue to upskill their workforce so that they have relevant skills for the work they do,” she said.
The skills audit initiative comes at a time when residents continue to demand better service delivery from the council, with issues such as erratic water supplies, rising waste accumulation and deteriorating road networks dominating daily concerns.
As the audit progresses, residents and stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether the council’s commitments translate into meaningful change on the ground. The coming months will provide a clearer picture of whether the city can finally turn the corner toward improved, reliable and professional service delivery.
