BULAWAYO councillors exploded on each other during Tuesday’s full council meeting after an item on the allocation of residential stands went missing from the latest council report.
Angry councillors accused each other of corruption.
They said ineptitude was behind the local authority’s failure to deliver housing stands to residents. The city’s housing waiting list has surpassed 100,000.
Councillors queried why the Town Land and Planning Committee had removed item nine from the report.
Ward One Clr Mlandu Ncube ignited the debate, quizzing the chairperson of the Town Land and Planning Committee Ward 24 Clr Thobani Ncube why the committee unilaterally removed the item.
“I’m shocked when I read the minutes. I don’t remember us making a recommendation to remove item nine on that day. I’m concerned about the item because it speaks to delivering houses to the people of Bulawayo. I don’t know whether the committee’s chairperson has some explanations in regard to this,” said Clr Ncube.
He said only the full council meeting can remove an item, not an individual committee.
Clr Ncube, as a member of the Town Land and Planning Committee, said he was upset that the item was removed from the report after they discussed it for over an hour.
Ward 28 Clr Collet Ndlovu blasted the committee saying it was surprising that the council was failing to provide land to city’s residents.
He urged the Town Lands and Planning committee to rectify the matter saying their failure to allocate housing to residents has resulted in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing allocating residents stands on the outskirts of the city.
The committee’s chairperson Clr Thobani Ncube apologised to the councillors for the omission and promised to present it in their next meeting.
He became agitated when Ward 8’s Clr Shilla Musonda suggested the omission was a result of corruption.
“I become emotional because the word is heavy. I’ll urge the councillor to withdraw the word or I’ll move out. How can an error be called corruption? Can the councillor define what she means by corruption?” said Clr Ncube.
He took a swipe at other councillors and council officials whom he accused of not working.
“They’re people who are no longer interested in working saying there is a ministerial directive. They’re people trying to disrespect the minister, let’s not disrespect the minister. Even councillors are no longer serving the interests of people. Councillors who are no longer interested in working should just tell the residents where they stand and stop behaving as if they’re doing them a favour,” he said.
The mayor Clr Martin Moyo cooled tempers somewhat when he said Clr Ncube should bring the report in the next full council meeting.
