News / Local
'Ongafuniyo kayekele' - City Mayor tells journalists
02 May 2012 at 22:50hrs | Views
BULAWAYO Mayor Councillor Thaba Moyo yesterday vented his anger on journalists accusing them of writing negative stories about the city council and threatened to "bar" them from covering council meetings.
In a scathing attack on the media in his opening remarks during a full council meeting in the council chambers, Clr Moyo said the media should leave the city council alone.
This follows recent media reports about the council workers' strike and allegations that the local authority's Revenue Hall, Tower Block and the City Hall, could be attached over a debt the council owed to a local bank.
The council reportedly applied for a loan from Kingdom Bank reportedly to buy vehicles for its senior management.
It is alleged that council, which was struggling to service the loan, provided title deeds for the three buildings as collateral.
Clr Moyo denounced the reports as false and malicious.
"There is no item that says the City Hall, Revenue Hall and Tower Block have been attached. I do not know why you remain here," said Clr Moyo referring to journalists who were covering the full council meeting yesterday.
"If you are not for Bulawayo, the door is open. Leave us alone. Ongafuniyo kayekele. You can report to whomever but
Bulawayo will never die. Are you not ashamed of the lies written in your papers?"
Clr Moyo, however, admitted that the council had a tough experience last week when workers downed tools demanding outstanding salaries.
"I know that there were some problems and last week was a difficult week for us. Contrary to some media reports the City Hall has not been taken. It is still ours. It is just that some media reports are meant to cause anxiety. If your informers gave you the wrong information about issues happening in council you will be deemed liars," fumed Clr Moyo drawing laughter from the councillors.
The attack on the media comes amid growing concern by residents over the council's failure to render adequate service delivery.
The media has exposed a lot of inconsistencies in the running of the council on issues involving allocation of stands and awarding of tenders.
Residents have castigated the council for failing to pay its workers on time, a development that has led to strikes that have crippled service delivery.
In a scathing attack on the media in his opening remarks during a full council meeting in the council chambers, Clr Moyo said the media should leave the city council alone.
This follows recent media reports about the council workers' strike and allegations that the local authority's Revenue Hall, Tower Block and the City Hall, could be attached over a debt the council owed to a local bank.
The council reportedly applied for a loan from Kingdom Bank reportedly to buy vehicles for its senior management.
It is alleged that council, which was struggling to service the loan, provided title deeds for the three buildings as collateral.
Clr Moyo denounced the reports as false and malicious.
"There is no item that says the City Hall, Revenue Hall and Tower Block have been attached. I do not know why you remain here," said Clr Moyo referring to journalists who were covering the full council meeting yesterday.
"If you are not for Bulawayo, the door is open. Leave us alone. Ongafuniyo kayekele. You can report to whomever but
Bulawayo will never die. Are you not ashamed of the lies written in your papers?"
Clr Moyo, however, admitted that the council had a tough experience last week when workers downed tools demanding outstanding salaries.
"I know that there were some problems and last week was a difficult week for us. Contrary to some media reports the City Hall has not been taken. It is still ours. It is just that some media reports are meant to cause anxiety. If your informers gave you the wrong information about issues happening in council you will be deemed liars," fumed Clr Moyo drawing laughter from the councillors.
The attack on the media comes amid growing concern by residents over the council's failure to render adequate service delivery.
The media has exposed a lot of inconsistencies in the running of the council on issues involving allocation of stands and awarding of tenders.
Residents have castigated the council for failing to pay its workers on time, a development that has led to strikes that have crippled service delivery.
Source - TC
