News / Local
Bulawayo councillors gagged over Egodini tender
30 Sep 2014 at 03:28hrs | Views
Bulawayo's multi-million dollar Egodini Terminus project, touted as the city's skyline changer, a multi-storey business complex to house offices, parkade and entertainment facilities, is now shrouded in more mystery after city fathers resolved to remain mum on the issue.
Recently, Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo told this publication that the project was in limbo following the ‘disappearance' and 'non-committal' of a South African company that won the $56 million tender, Terracotta (Pvt) Ltd.
"There is no more communication from the Terracotta people, we have tried our best to communicate with them and get to understand what might be happening with them, but we have got no response.
"We don't know why they have vanished on us but all we can say is that the deal is no longer possible," Moyo said.
Bulawayo residents are pinning their hopes on the project as it is expected to create a lot of employment opportunities during construction, and also at the end of construction where a lot of businesses would operate on the complex.
In a telephone interview on Monday, Moyo said council made a resolution that no councillor should make comments about the developments as they were ‘sensitive' and might have ‘negative repercussions' on the negotiations.
"We decided that we don't talk anymore about the issue. It was an agreement (resolution) that we made, that we will not talk about it publicly anymore and that means I will not say anything about it (project) to you," said Moyo dismissively.
Two weeks ago, in response to stories on their ‘disappearing act', Terracotta officials told media that it was not true that they had disappeared but were making the necessary contractual preparations before they could return.
According to initial reports, the company was supposed to start groundwork for the project in the city early this year, as BCC had already made the necessary logistical preparations of finding alternative sites for vendors and Emergency taxis operating in the area.
Recently, Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo told this publication that the project was in limbo following the ‘disappearance' and 'non-committal' of a South African company that won the $56 million tender, Terracotta (Pvt) Ltd.
"There is no more communication from the Terracotta people, we have tried our best to communicate with them and get to understand what might be happening with them, but we have got no response.
"We don't know why they have vanished on us but all we can say is that the deal is no longer possible," Moyo said.
In a telephone interview on Monday, Moyo said council made a resolution that no councillor should make comments about the developments as they were ‘sensitive' and might have ‘negative repercussions' on the negotiations.
"We decided that we don't talk anymore about the issue. It was an agreement (resolution) that we made, that we will not talk about it publicly anymore and that means I will not say anything about it (project) to you," said Moyo dismissively.
Two weeks ago, in response to stories on their ‘disappearing act', Terracotta officials told media that it was not true that they had disappeared but were making the necessary contractual preparations before they could return.
According to initial reports, the company was supposed to start groundwork for the project in the city early this year, as BCC had already made the necessary logistical preparations of finding alternative sites for vendors and Emergency taxis operating in the area.
Source - Zim Mail
