Town clerk challenges residents to bring proof of corruption

Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube has urged residents reporting corruption within the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to provide full information and be prepared to testify in disciplinary hearings.

Speaking during a full council meeting, Dube stressed that corruption was a criminal offence that would not be tolerated but cautioned that investigations could only proceed effectively when supported by concrete evidence.

"Corruption is a very serious criminal offence in the country and as such it is not tolerated," read part of the council minutes.

"Residents reporting corruption should have full information and be willing to testify during disciplinary hearings. All reported corruption allegations with full information will be investigated."

The warning comes amid growing public concern over housing allocation processes and transparency in council operations.

Councillors noted that Bulawayo continues to face a severe housing shortage, with the waiting list now exceeding 140,000 applicants, while only about 10,000 residential stands are currently available.

The minutes also confirmed that all land developers operating in the city have been duly approved by the municipality.

Deputy Housing Committee chairperson, Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo, said there was a need for improved communication regarding the availability of housing stands and the city's partnerships with private developers.

"Some residents have been on the housing waiting list for a very long time anticipating getting affordable housing stands from the council," Moyo said.

"What is the council's strategy in providing cheap and affordable housing stands or houses?"

Housing Committee chairperson, Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, called for the digitalisation of housing services to enhance transparency.

"The housing waiting list registration should be done online," Khumalo said.

"All other information regarding housing should also be available online. There were a lot of corruption complaints raised against the housing and community services, especially in the allocation of stands."

As of July 2025, a cumulative total of 154,793 housing application forms had been captured into the city's AS400 computer system, a figure that has since increased to 156,441.

The council also acknowledged the financial challenges facing many residents and said the housing waiting list fees would soon be reviewed to make the process more accessible.