Harare — About 431 City of Harare workers were yesterday awarded with long service awards at a colourful ceremony held at the City Sports Centre in Harare.

The awards were for workers who served the council since 1963 and they ranged from 20 to 45 years of service.

The workers walked away with certificates, medals and prize money for their dedicated service to the local authority.

Presenting the awards, Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda said the merit awards, besides recognition, also served as a motivational tool for workers.

"You have contributed in your own ways in making Harare a warm, clean and habitable modern city.

"The city is now investor friendly because of your dedicated and loyal service," he said.

Mayor Masunda said city authorities were working flat out to ensure that guests and tourists to the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament to be held in South Africa find the city attractive.

"With the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament in South Africa around the corner, we should continue to work hard in making Harare a preferred destination.

"Let us make Harare a pot-hole free city, all streets lights and traffic lights should be working.

"We want to ensure that all suburbs have potable and clean water," he said.

He thanked the Government and other sectors that have helped the city to resuscitate such crucial services as sewer pipes and roads.

Mayor Masunda encouraged the workers to uphold high standard services to ratepayers, saying the customer was the king.

"The old cliché which says the customer is king cannot be over emphasised.

"We cannot sell the City of Harare as a brand if we do not look after our customers.

"I appeal to all departments to continue reorienting staff through customer care skills training progra-mmes. Such programmes will go a long way in creating a mind shift and attitudinal changes within the workforce," he added.

Mayor Masunda said the City of Harare would continue to upgrade its workers conditions of service as a way of motivating them.

"As part of efforts to attract and retain specialised skills flight (sic), council is availing residential stands to its staff.

"Such schemes and strategies should help the city in its efforts to attract and retain specialised skills such as those in medical, engineering, legal and finance fields."