Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE councillors on Monday evening passed a vote of no confidence on mayor, Councillor Peter Pirato Mafuta citing among other things gross incompetence, dereliction of duty and stalling capital projects.
The local authority’s majority of councillors are from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
The resolution follows a lengthy full council meeting that agreed the mayor be relieved of his duties and allow deputy mayor, Councillor John Manatsa to act in his capacity.
The councillors said the mayor remains suspended pending further determination by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde Daniel Garwe, on their recommendation.
Six councillors except Ward 2 Councillor Mrs Portia Shumba agreed on the motion put forward by Ward 4 Councillor Emmanuel Takutaku.
“As councillors we have lost confidence in the leadership of the mayor, Mr Peter Pirato Mafuta,” reads part of the adopted motion.
“Under the Urban Councils Act, council through the office of the mayor is required to supervise the executive. Currently the council has a number of resolutions and projects, which have been budgeted for the past couple of years but to this date they have not been completed.
“This is despite concerns from the councillors to the mayor through the full council. Projects have been stalled with limited or no progress being reported.”
Among other projects the councillors said the upgrading of Dulivhadzimu bus terminus, the acquisition of a grader and the construction of a sewer trunk in new suburbs has been shrouded in darkness without action from the mayor.
They said in some instances, the mayor attended various meetings on behalf of council since the beginning of the year and had never given feedback to the councillors or discussed any raised developmental issues.
In addition, they said although there is a calendar of meeting set by the council management, the councillors were finding it hard to hold full council meetings because of the mayor who is always unavailable either on personal or official business
“This is despite the clear prescription in the Urban Councils’ Act that if a quorum is there the meeting can proceed,” says the motion.
“Further the town is facing water challenges since 2024 and the mayor has failed to provide leadership.
All the above is now making the residents doubt if the current crop of councillors are good enough to represent them.”
