Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube and Bongani Ndlovu, Zimpapers Reporters
A bitter dispute has erupted at Bulawayo City Hall, prompting the Government to intervene and set the record straight after the Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, and his deputy, Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, offered starkly different accounts of what transpired during a recent chaotic council meeting that controversially resolved to extend Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube’s contract to 2030.
Tensions spilled into the public domain after reports claimed councillors had “unanimously” agreed to grant Mr Dube a one-year extension to 2026 and a further four-year term to 2030, and that Mr Coltart walked out in protest. The Mayor denies that narrative, insisting no such vote took place while he was in the chamber and that the meeting collapsed into disorder long before any formal decision could be made.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has clarified that the only information it has regarding the Town Clerk’s contract is the one-year extension to November 2026.
The ministry’s Director of Communications and Advocacy, Mr Gabriel Masvora, said: “As a ministry and also the Local Government Board, we have not received any formal communication from Bulawayo City Council regarding the contract of the Town Clerk. The only formal communication we have is that his contract was extended by one year to November 2026.”
In a strongly worded statement, Clr Coltart said the November 5, 2025 meeting descended into “mayhem, slanderous comments, threats and shouting,” making it impossible to conduct lawful business.
He maintained that he adjourned the meeting before any vote was taken and argued that whatever transpired after his departure amounted to “an illegal meeting” held without proper notice.
He further claimed councillors and senior managers were subjected to intimidation and warned that extending the Town Clerk’s fixed-term contract without legal clarity on Statutory Instrument 197/2024 could set a dangerous precedent for future employment disputes.
According to Clr Coltart, the General Purposes Committee had unanimously recommended a one-year extension to November 2026 while seeking an opinion from the Attorney General on whether SI 197/2024, which raises the retirement age to 70, applies to fixed-term contracts such as Mr Dube’s. He said he only supported an extension based on that legal guidance and accused some councillors of disregarding advice from the Minister of Local Government.
<span;>However, Deputy Mayor Ndlovu has dismissed that version, insisting the meeting was orderly, properly constituted and proceeded within the law even after the Mayor left the chamber.
In his own statement, Clr Ndlovu said no threats or insults were made during the debate and anyone claiming intimidation should report it to the police. He argued that councillors had already made their intentions clear before Clr Coltart walked out and said a chairperson cannot shut down a lawful meeting simply because they disagree with the majority.
Clr Ndlovu said after Clr Coltart’s departure, councillors lawfully appointed Clr Mxolisi Mahlangu to preside and proceeded to confirm the five-year extension. He maintained that the decision had nothing to do with SI 197/2024 and was instead a straightforward exercise of council’s authority to extend a contract as long as the Town Clerk is under 70.
The General Purposes Committee, he said, only issues recommendations and the full council has every right to amend them. He also revealed that 28 councillors later signed to confirm they continued with the meeting, making the resolutions binding.
The clash has laid bare deep divisions within council, with the two leaders presenting directly opposing accounts of the same meeting. While Clr Coltart maintains the proceedings descended into chaos and that no lawful resolutions were made, Clr Ndlovu insists the meeting remained vibrant but orderly and that councillors acted fully within their powers.
Both leaders agree that Mr Dube’s current contract expires on November 30, 2025 and that the General Purposes Committee had initially recommended extending it only to November 30, 2026 while seeking legal advice. While councillors amended that recommendation to extend the term to November 2030, Coltart says the move has no legal standing — a position Ndlovu vehemently rejects.
The tensions deepened after Clr Coltart posted a screenshot of WhatsApp messages of him chatting with Clr Ndlovu on his X account, purportedly to confirm that his deputy endorsed his earlier statement.
“I appreciate the messages I have received from several @CityofBulawayo councillors endorsing my statement released on Friday, including from the Deputy Mayor, Clr Edwin Ndlovu, who found it ‘superb’. Here is our WhatsApp exchange from Friday afternoon,” he wrote.
This did not go down well with Clr Ndlovu, who shot back.
“Whilst you have your own personal view on issues, it is very regrettable that you decide to settle your personal vendetta using my name. Kindly refrain from doing that. As the Mayor, you can’t lead the council through media — that’s and unprofessional.”
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