'Thieving' council workers bounce back

THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has wrapped council for abetting corruption after reinstating two workers who were summarily dismissed for stealing a water storage tank last month.

BPRA called on city fathers to overturn the decision by the general purposes committee to reinstate the two employees dismissed for stealing a water storage tank from Kwezi training centre in Pelandaba suburb.

"We are writing this letter to officially lodge our objection on how the general purposes committee handled the issue of the stolen water storage tank from Kwezi Training Centre by two council employees.

"While the value of the item stolen might appear insignificant, it is our view that there is a genuine case of integrity violation, collusive practice by two council employees designed to achieve an improper purpose," BPRA co-ordinator Emmanuel Ndlovu said in a letter addressed to mayor Solomon Mguni.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mguni were fruitless as he was not answering his mobile phone. Ndlovu said the council's decision "amounts to abuse, which is theft, waste and improper use of council assets, either committed intentionally or through reckless disregard".

He added: "The adverse result of this action is that it upholds a widespread and general belief that the BCC is a corrupt organisation and a home to corrupt cartels.

"The decision by the general purposes committee is promoting an unacceptable value system wherein becomes the haven of people accused of looting, theft and corruption."

The water storage tank scandal came a few weeks after another council employee escaped with a written warning after allegedly misappropriating about 10 000 litres of diesel which was meant for road construction and other service delivery projects.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has launched a probe into allegations of corruption levelled against city fathers.