Gwanda Councillor defies council on road works

Controversial Gwanda Ward 8 councillor Thulani Moyo is reportedly carrying out road maintenance in his ward outside council "authority" and supervision.

Reports coming from the town indicate that the controversial councillor is using a private earth moving equipment and tipper trucks reportedly belonging to Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Obert Mpofu. The people also doing the work are not employees of the council but private personnel.

According to information released to Bulawayo 24 News by staff from council's works department, the work done there is not according to council standards as the earth moving equipment is working even over areas where there are underground water pipes and electrical cables. In some cases the work is being done so unprofessional that its closing of storm water drains.

According to the staff members council is currently already involved in a massive road rehabilitation exercise following the heavy rains and they have laid out a plan on how they are going to attend the roads in every ward.

"We do not understand how the councillor has decided to go ahead and take over council work when he is aware of the council schedule to do the work. We have a programme in place but he has decided to go against it and do it himself," said the official.

"We are currently working in ward 10 which has harder surface roads and can be worked on while still a bit wet then we were going to move to the roads in the townships when we are sure that the rains have really subsided."

The official also added that at the moment some of the roads that the councillor is already attending to are still too wet to be worked on and some had only been attended to recently before the rains and so not yet due for intensive resurfacing of the nature he is doing.

It is also reported that the councillor is ferrying some waste gravel from a nearby mine dump and spreading it on the roads. The staff from the engineering department however indicate that the gravel being used was previously condemned by the council's engineers due to its high chemical concentration.

"Council indeed previously wanted to use the gravel but the engineers condemned it and we stopped using it but councillor Moyo has gone ahead and collected the same gravel and used it. Its the same gravel that was used on the VID road which up to now is still not being used because of the chemical concentrate and will remain closed unless and until it is resurfaced to cover the chemical concentrated gravel," added the source.

Comment could not be sourced from the councillor concerned, nor the town engineer nor the mayor as they were all said to be in a meeting. However a former councillor who served in the last council confirmed that he has seen the private earth moving machinery at work on the council roads and he thought that maybe it was a contract between council and a private contractor.

"I can confirm that gradders and tippers believed to be belonging to Minister Mpofu are on the ground in ward 8 working on the roads. I thought that maybe council has contracted the Minister's company to do the road repairs but was doubtful as I never saw a formal tender for the job," said the councillor who refused to be named for "fear of victimisation".

Asked about the gravel being laid on the roads, the former councillor also confirmed that the previous council had condemned the gravel from Tshindeni Mine dump by means of an expert report but could not confirm if its the same gravel being used by councillor Moyo on the roads in ward 8.

"It will be very unfortunate if its the same gravel that is being used but one can only hope that maybe it has passed the necessary tests otherwise he is putting people's lives at risk."

Asked if it was normal for councillors to do such jobs in their wards the councillor indicated that it was against council regulations for councillors to do that.

"That is a big fat no. Management is the only one allowed to implement council resolutions. You can't be a policy maker and implement at the same time," fumed the councillor.

When interviewed on the matter a resident Mr Philani Ndlovu said that while it was good for wealthy councillors to assist council in their wards he felt it would be better if they worked with council for guidance.

"We are not jealous of the councillor at all, it is good for such wealthy councillors to assist council but it will be best if he did such within the plans of council."

"If each individual councillor would have to focus on development in the wards from their pockets what will happen to our ward for example under my friend (Justone) Mazhale (MDC T councillor for ward 7) who may not have that kind of money? Its best to donate the money to council and let council work in its plans" said Ndlovu.

Councillor Moyo is reported to be a very good associate to Minister Mpofu and is said to be administering the Minister's newly found riches in the Matabeleland South Capital. In recent months, councillor Moyo was quoted as having boasted that he personally brought Minister Mpofu to invest in Gwanda where the Minister has acquired several properties and stands there by rescuing the council from financial doldrums. He is also reported not to be in good books with the Mayor of the town councillor Knowledge Ndlovu who he has openly belittled saying there is nothing the Mayor will ever tell him as he has "big guys" around him.

If these reports of him doing the road works outside council programme and supervision are true then Mayor Ndlovu has a challenge at hand.