News / National
Bulawayo residents raise alarm over council procurement processes
3 hrs ago | Views
Bulawayo residents have voiced growing concern over the Bulawayo City Council's (BCC) procurement and tender procedures, accusing the local authority of a lack of transparency that has led to shoddy work, abandoned projects, and financial losses that have crippled service delivery in the city.
Speaking at a recent policy dialogue conference organised by the Public Policy Research Institute of Zimbabwe, residents said repeated scandals and incomplete projects have severely eroded public confidence in the council's procurement systems. The conference, held under the theme "Towards Strengthening Local Government Procurement Processes for Improved Service Delivery," brought together stakeholders to scrutinise procurement practices in local authorities.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) gender officer Abigail Siziba said residents' mistrust is rooted in real experiences and well-documented failures. She pointed to the infamous ambulance scandal, in which the council paid US$300,000 to a "briefcase company" for vehicles that were never delivered.
"So imagine those sentiments as residents - losing US$300,000 to a briefcase company," Siziba said. "The cost that it has to service delivery in our city is enormous."
Siziba also criticised the council for awarding tenders to contractors who fail to deliver, including the long-delayed Egodini Mall project, which was granted to South African company Terracotta Trading (Pvt) Ltd back in October 2012 at a reported cost of US$60 million. More than a decade later, the project remains incomplete.
Residents also expressed dissatisfaction with several housing and infrastructure initiatives, such as the 2021 procurement of non-functional water pumps and the refuse truck purchase, which they claim were overpriced and ineffective. These, they argue, have led to ratepayers indirectly absorbing the cost of poor governance through inflated service charges.
Another major concern raised was the controversial parking management deal with Tendy Three Investment Company, which reportedly gives the private partner 70% of revenue, while BCC receives just 30%, despite owning the public space. "Residents feel that council, as the owner of the space, should be getting a reasonable percentage so as to benefit ratepayers," Siziba said.
In response to the concerns, BCC head of procurement Mlungelwa Khumalo blamed a lack of understanding among stakeholders about the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDPA). He explained that only suppliers registered with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) are eligible to bid for tenders.
"General suppliers are not aware that for them to participate in the procurement processes, they have to be registered," Khumalo said. "If you are not registered with Praz, it means you cannot participate in the tenders we advertise."
He added that the BCC has shifted to electronic tendering, and suppliers must register under specific categories aligned with their capabilities. Failure to do so automatically disqualifies them from the selection process.
Praz's director of capacity building, Cliff Gondo, acknowledged the loopholes in the past but said reforms are underway to ensure more accountable procurement. He revealed that asset disposal, which was previously outside formal procurement regulations, is now included to ensure that local authorities follow proper procedures when selling or replacing old and obsolete equipment.
"There is nothing wrong with briefcase companies, but there is everything wrong when we give them work without due diligence," Gondo said.
He also highlighted the government's policy to support local suppliers, stating that up to US$500,000 must be spent on locally sourced goods, and projects valued up to US$10 million should prioritise local contractors, even if their prices are up to 20% higher than foreign alternatives.
Despite these efforts, residents remain skeptical, urging BCC to clean up its procurement operations and put the interests of ratepayers above personal or political gain. With past failures still fresh in residents' minds, many are calling for independent oversight, greater transparency, and community involvement in tender processes to prevent further waste and ensure effective service delivery in Bulawayo.
Speaking at a recent policy dialogue conference organised by the Public Policy Research Institute of Zimbabwe, residents said repeated scandals and incomplete projects have severely eroded public confidence in the council's procurement systems. The conference, held under the theme "Towards Strengthening Local Government Procurement Processes for Improved Service Delivery," brought together stakeholders to scrutinise procurement practices in local authorities.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) gender officer Abigail Siziba said residents' mistrust is rooted in real experiences and well-documented failures. She pointed to the infamous ambulance scandal, in which the council paid US$300,000 to a "briefcase company" for vehicles that were never delivered.
"So imagine those sentiments as residents - losing US$300,000 to a briefcase company," Siziba said. "The cost that it has to service delivery in our city is enormous."
Siziba also criticised the council for awarding tenders to contractors who fail to deliver, including the long-delayed Egodini Mall project, which was granted to South African company Terracotta Trading (Pvt) Ltd back in October 2012 at a reported cost of US$60 million. More than a decade later, the project remains incomplete.
Residents also expressed dissatisfaction with several housing and infrastructure initiatives, such as the 2021 procurement of non-functional water pumps and the refuse truck purchase, which they claim were overpriced and ineffective. These, they argue, have led to ratepayers indirectly absorbing the cost of poor governance through inflated service charges.
Another major concern raised was the controversial parking management deal with Tendy Three Investment Company, which reportedly gives the private partner 70% of revenue, while BCC receives just 30%, despite owning the public space. "Residents feel that council, as the owner of the space, should be getting a reasonable percentage so as to benefit ratepayers," Siziba said.
In response to the concerns, BCC head of procurement Mlungelwa Khumalo blamed a lack of understanding among stakeholders about the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDPA). He explained that only suppliers registered with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) are eligible to bid for tenders.
"General suppliers are not aware that for them to participate in the procurement processes, they have to be registered," Khumalo said. "If you are not registered with Praz, it means you cannot participate in the tenders we advertise."
He added that the BCC has shifted to electronic tendering, and suppliers must register under specific categories aligned with their capabilities. Failure to do so automatically disqualifies them from the selection process.
Praz's director of capacity building, Cliff Gondo, acknowledged the loopholes in the past but said reforms are underway to ensure more accountable procurement. He revealed that asset disposal, which was previously outside formal procurement regulations, is now included to ensure that local authorities follow proper procedures when selling or replacing old and obsolete equipment.
"There is nothing wrong with briefcase companies, but there is everything wrong when we give them work without due diligence," Gondo said.
He also highlighted the government's policy to support local suppliers, stating that up to US$500,000 must be spent on locally sourced goods, and projects valued up to US$10 million should prioritise local contractors, even if their prices are up to 20% higher than foreign alternatives.
Despite these efforts, residents remain skeptical, urging BCC to clean up its procurement operations and put the interests of ratepayers above personal or political gain. With past failures still fresh in residents' minds, many are calling for independent oversight, greater transparency, and community involvement in tender processes to prevent further waste and ensure effective service delivery in Bulawayo.
Source - Southern Eye
