MDC-T council blocks Mphoko donation

THE Bulawayo City Council has repossessed and put on sale a residential stand belonging to Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko's family, after turning down the family's wish to donate the land to a charitable organisation.

The Mphokos had bought the piece of land in the upmarket suburb of Selbourne Park in February 1998 for Z$101 675.

The land is for residential purposes. The family this year made an application to the local authority to donate the piece of land to Zulu Duma Mahlangu Trust for the establishment of a boarding house.

However, in the latest development the MDC-T councillors blocked the donation claiming that a stand that had not been developed could not be sold or donated unless it has been fully developed. Councillors instead passed a motion to repossess the stand from the Vice-President's family.

"Council on 16 February 1998 sold the stand to Mrs Laurinda Mphoko at a cost of Z$101 675. The purchase price was paid in full on 16 February 1998. The agreement of sale was signed on 27 February 1998. The stand measures 2 076 square metres and there are no developments on the stand," reads the report.

In rejecting the move, council declared that the donation was illegal as according to council by-laws the owner cannot cede their rights to a third party.

"The financial director noted that the stand is billing in the name of Mrs L Mphoko, presumably the wife of the Vice-President of Zimbabwe. In the department's view, in terms of the Agreement of Sale, the stand cannot be ceded to a third party unless there are improvements on it. As such the current owner cannot cede his rights to a third party.

"The Mayor (Councillor Martin Moyo) explained that according to council policy, a stand that had not been developed could not be sold or donated unless the stand had been fully developed. The above mentioned stand was a residential stand and was not designated for a boarding house," reads the report.

Further it was revealed that in going ahead with the donation VP Mphoko and his family would have breached the agreement of sale hence the stand had to be repossessed.

The local authority therefore resolved that; "Council rescinds its decision of 16 February, 1998 that had allocated Mrs L Mphoko Stand 14440 Selbourne Park. Council allocates stand 14440 Selbourne Park at a selling price of $12 000 excluding Value Added Tax at a minimum building clause of a plinth area of 160square metres. The establishment of a boarding house be subject to application for special consent approval for a development permit through the director of engineering services be not adopted and instead the donation of the stand be not acceded to for reasons detailed in the report," reads the report.