adminThe villagers, who live around the business centre believe that the development of Inyathi would result in them being displaced.
Some elements have reportedly told them that they would be relocated to Gokwe.
It is against this background that the villagers have been against the growth of the mining business centre into a town and have “stood firm” against construction of modern township houses, saying they wanted to remain in their old rural homesteads.
The council human resources manager, Ms Sithokozile Nkomo, who is also the chairperson of the finance and staffing committee confirmed that the council agreed to suspend Mr Mlilo on Friday.
The residents wrote a petition, which Chronicle is in possession of, complaining about the pegging of housing stands and development of townships.
They called for the sacking of the council executives.
“It seems so but it is not yet official because he has not been told. I cannot give you details because it is still an internal matter,” said Ms Nkomo.
The council was expected to deliver the suspension letter to Mr Mlilo and a council technician Mr Jackias Mhlanga yesterday.
Contacted for comment, Mr Mlilo said he was yet to receive official communication although he was aware of the resolution.
“I just heard about it but I have not been officially told,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga referred questions to Mr Mlilo.
The stands were pegged under the Government Garikai/ Hlalani Kuhle Housing Project.
Sources said the problems started when residents reportedly misquoted a Campfire manager at a recent meeting as having said they would be moved to Gokwe to pave way for new housing projects, and since then they had held a series of meetings to discuss the matter.
In the petition document, villagers also complained about poor service delivery and that the council bought a vehicle for Mr Mlilo for nearly $60 000 at the expense of service delivery.
They complained that the council had pegged stands at their business premises and homesteads.
“The CEO was suspended on Friday at a council meeting and he was supposed to get the suspension letter today. Our belief is that the council was getting pressure from villagers and resolved to suspend him together with Mr Mhlanga at a council meeting on Friday,” said a source on condition of anonymity.
Part of the petition document reads “There is a deliberate ploy to force the community out to have a town when this was strongly disputed by the whole community and local leaders. People now have no confidence in the chairperson, CEO, campfire officer, administrator, engineer and clerk of works. Following the above complaints we propose that the above mentioned officers be dismissed with immediate effect.”
One of the councillors, Councillor Mbizo Siwela of Ward 11 confirmed that the villagers had raised the issue at a community meeting but could not comment on the suspension of Mr Mlilo.
“You can get that information from the chairman because I did not attend the meeting. All I can say is that villagers discussed the issue at a different meeting and not in council,” he said.
The Government established the housing project in 2006 and 20 houses were built at Inyathi under Phase One.
The second phase had more than 300 stands, which were supposed to be built with assistance from the Government.
About 200 of these were allocated to beneficiaries although there were no developments due to economic challenges in the past few years.
Council chairman Clr Cecil Mathambo could not be reached on his mobile, as his two numbers were not reachable.
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