HCC director Chawatama says council has failed to deliver, waste money on workshops
fires shots at HR boss and former soldier Matthew Marara who recently received US$300k as compensation for suspension over corruption charges
Harare – Harare City Council director of works, Zvenyika Isiah Chawatama has said the city has failed it’s mandate to supply water, fix roads and traffic lights among the many issues affecting Zimbabwe’s capital city.
“Council is bedevelled with challenges in terms of procurement and in terms of revenue collection,” Chawatama said.
He said the city has failed to supply clean water resulting in cholera outbreaks in hotspot areas such as Budiriro, Glenview, Glen Norah and Kuwadzana high density surburbs.
Regular sewer bursts has compounded the situation.
Chawatama, in his capacity as director of works is in charge of refuse collection, road maintanance, maintaining water and sewer pipes among many things.
The city of Harare has been holding ‘weekly’ workshops attended by city of Harare councillors and city council officials out of the capital city in areas such as Victoria Falls, Kariba, Kadoma and Mutare paying accomodation, fuel allowances and other hefty allowances to attendees.
Most workshops were held at Ranch Hotel in Kadoma.
Quized by evidence leader Thabani Mpofu, that the council was wasting money that should have been going to device delivery Chawatama answered “it is correct.”
Chawatama said he advised council and city councillors about the ‘weekly’ workshops that were draining city resources but the council did not stop wasting the money.
He said workshops are driven by the Human Resources department and Chamber secretary.
Chawatama said it is difficult to advice officials at Town House against the many workshops as some of the officials benefiting in getting the hefty allowances.
He said the waste of money by councillors and officials showed the city misplaced priorities.
Chawatama was also quized about a piece of council land that he allowed a Chinese company JC Delonics to use as parking before making a U-turn cancelling the lease.
Delonics directors made representation to the commission of inquiry saying they lost more than $200 000 when they paved the car park before Chawatama stopped them.
The land where the car park outside Delonics is reportedly owned by businessman Philip Chigangwa’s Pinnacle Holdings.
“It was an error,” Chawatama said.
Chawatama said city council requires 30 compactors to efficiently collect refuse but the council at the moment has 15 trucks resulting in many suburbs having heaps of garbage in most places.
Chawatama was also quizzed on council’s failure to fix robots resulting in congestion and accidents in the city.
The commission heard that due to the city’s failure police officers have been turned “human traffic lights” who are now manning and controlling many junctions in the city.
Chawatama however said the council is battling to collect revenue from residents.
He said his department requires about US$50 000 a week to maintain trucks and function properly but the finance department is availing US$50 000 a month instead of the required US$200 000 a month.
The commission was appointed by President Mnangagwa and is chaired by retired judge Justice Cheda to investigate the City of Harare’s management and council on issues dating back to 2017.
Other members of the commission are former MDC senior official Lucia Matibenga, Steven Chakaipa, Khonzani Ncube, a Local Government ministry official and the youngest commissioner is vibrant lawyer Tafadzwa Hungwe from Msindo-Hungwe Associates.
