Former Mayor served with notice to vacate council house

FORMER Gwanda mayor Lionel De-Necker is facing eviction from a council house he has been occupying since 2008 when he got into council. The former MDC mayor was expected to vacate the house, located in the town centre, at the expiry of his term of office in the run up to the July 31 elections.

The then Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development had issued a circular ordering councillors at that time to surrender all council property.

De-Necker, who was suspended before completing his term of office, ignored the directive and continued using the house to date.

Gwanda Town Mayor Knowledge Ndlovu told Chronicle yesterday that council has served De-Necker with a notice to vacate the house to no avail.

He said council needed the house to accommodate staff members and was contemplating engaging the Messenger of Court to kick him out as he had also breached the contract.

"In October 2008, council resolved that De-Necker be given a staff house, Number 306, 6th Avenue in Gwanda Town on a rental basis. This was, however, a special arrangement with the council because that is a staff house and is not meant for renting out," Clr Ndlovu said.

He said the local authority temporarily allocated De-Necker the house as a "special favour" because of his position as the mayor at that time.

This was after De-Necker had claimed that his initial home in Hampden was far from town and that as the mayor he wanted to be closer to the people, Clr Ndlovu said.

He said the former councillor's continued stay in the house was costing council thousands of dollars as De-Necker, who is expected to pay rentals and electricity bills, has reportedly failed to pay a cent hence the termination of the lease agreement.

"As part of the lease agreement, he was supposed to pay all council rates and electricity bills but he never paid a cent thus he breached the lease agreement. He owes the council over $3,000," said Clr Ndlovu.

"We don't understand why he is refusing to move out of the house because in the papers it was clear that the lease agreement would expire at the end of his term of office."

He said De-Necker was not entitled to the house and there was no reason why he is refusing to vacate it.

Said Clr Ndlovu: "A ceremonial mayor is not entitled to a council house. As council we have nothing against him but we need the house for our staff members," he said.

Clr Ndlovu said the Town Clerk, Gilbert Mlilo was in Bulawayo yesterday to engage lawyers over the issue.

While other councillors were allocated stands as their benefits, De-Necker is reported to have refused to take up any stand.

De-Necker yesterday confirmed receiving several notices from council to vacate the house but said he was surprised that the house had been tied to his term of office.

"I applied for accommodation to the council just like any other Gwanda resident and was given that house. The contract I signed has got nothing to do with my term of office and there was no special arrangement when I was given the house. All the (then) councillors can witness and tell you exactly what transpired. I really don't know where the confusion is coming from," charged De-Necker.

"If they have any form of documentation that supports what they are saying, they should bring it forward."

De-Necker also claimed that he at times pays rentals and electricity bills saying he did not understand why he was being forced out of the house.

It is reported that the former MDC mayor has since engaged lawyers to come to his rescue.

There are also reports that his refusal to vacate the house was because he wanted the house as part of his exit package.

"That is not true, I have not at any time asked for anything or a single cent from council as a package. I will never demand anything," he said.

De-Necker is also reportedly refusing to hand over the council laptop he was given during his time as mayor. He had also taken with him his council portrait but has since returned it to the council.