shloboe boe
Nqobile Bhebhe, nqobile.bhebhe@chronicle.co.zw
Bulawayo City Council top officials have expressed concern about widespread corruption and solicitation of bribes among staff members, particularly within the traffic and security sectors. Officials have pledged to take stern action against the culprits.
The corrupt activities are linked to an increase in illegal vending in the city centre, especially during the night.
The admission by senior officials comes barely two months after Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu and Finance Committee chairperson Mpumelelo Moyo were arrested in November, after being implicated in corrupt practices.
This revelation saw several land developers disclosing that they had been living with the corrupt reality of having to cede 10 percent of the value of their contracts to city councillors.
In October last year, two senior officials from the Bulawayo City Council, Ashton Sibanda and Sithulisiwe Sibanda, were charged with corruption related to procurement practices that allegedly violated established regulations. The charges stemmed from an investigation initiated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).
According to the latest report from the Health, Housing and Education Committee, Ward 2 Councillor Adrian Moyo said corruption and the demand for bribes were increasing among council staff. He expressed concern about the rising prevalence of illegal night-time activities in the city, noting that it has become a new reality. He urged the council to designate specific locations for night vending and to allocate vending bays for this purpose.
“Corruption and demanding bribes are increasing among Council staff. Council’s traffic section staff are collecting bribes every morning from illegal transport operators,” said Clr Moyo.
Committee chairperson, Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo also expressed concern regarding the corrupt behaviour exhibited by the council’s security staff. She identified the Nkulumane Sekusile Shopping Centre as one of the areas experiencing significant illegal vending and corrupt activities.
“The illegal vendors have organised themselves and bribery fees are collected every morning and paid to the security staff on duty. This is not only happening in Nkulumane; there are many other places. Social media is awash with video clips of Council staff and other Councillors engaging in corrupt practices,” said Clr Khumalo.
Clr Khumalo called on council staff and other councillors to stop this bad practice.
The Chamber Secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, said effective staff supervision would be implemented to stop corrupt activities by Council staff.
“Collection of bribes and corrupt activities is against Council’s code of conduct. All involved Council staff members will be dealt with,” she said.
Mrs Zhou explained that council security staff responsible for enforcement operate from 8AM to 5PM and after hours, it is mainly guarding duties. She said relevant reviews would be conducted to cover night-time enforcement, indicating that an operation would be established to eradicate illegal activities.
Councillor Lazarus Mpandwe said the city’s general standards of cleanliness had dropped as lawlessness continued to increase.
“Public Transport operators do not adhere to Council’s by-laws and policies. Many illegal pick-up and drop-off points have been established in the city. There is a lot of fouling in these areas. Council should review the conditions of service for staff and review their salaries accordingly,” said Clr Mpandwe.
Despite sporadic raids by municipal police, the increase in illegal vending within the city centre is proving to be a headache for the local authority.
During the day, vendors openly sell a variety of goods, ranging from fresh produce to second-hand clothes. However, as darkness descends, certain corners of the city transform as illegal trading thrives under the cover of night.
Makeshift stalls and pop-up shops appear in alleys and on pavements, creating a vibrant but unregulated marketplace.
