Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube , Online News Editor
BULAWAYO councillors were last week involved in a war of words after a petition reportedly circulated among them calling for the termination of the Egodini rehabilitation project contract with South African developer, Terracotta Trading Private Limited.
A section of councillors cited the continued delay in the completion of the project saying it was imperative to deal with all contracts that were retrogressive and promised to present the petition in the form of a motion in the next full council meeting.
The development resulted in a verbal war between councillors with city mayor, Councillor David Coltart, who is on leave attempting to block the move arguing that the councillors should wait for his return.
“In the coming council meeting we are making a resolution to cancel the Egodini contract.
Bulawayo First,” allegedly wrote Ward Three councillor, Mxolisi Mahlangu in the councillors’ WhatsApp group where he was immediately backed by the chairperson of the finance and development committee chairperson, Clr Mpumelelo Moyo, who said he would be moving the motion.
However, the two councillors were ‘called to order’ by Clr Coltart who said there should be a caucus and consensus before moving the motion.
“Clrs Mahlangu and M Moyo. You are both out of order. None of us, including me, should be moving motions on significant issues without a discussion in caucus and a consensus reached, failing that a vote taken. So you are not to move any such motion prior to this happening. Given the legal ramifications I would like to make input in this particular issue so this debate is to await my return,” wrote Clr Coltart.
However, the councillors hit back at the mayor saying there was a need to deal with all contracts that take the city backwards. The councillors further accused Clr Coltart of taking an individual decision and extending the time on an evidently failed contract.
“Dave these guys were given a notice of cancelation according to the briefing we got from the Town Clerk. Have they defended the notice of termination and what are the defence reasons if any? This should be the starting point
All their timelines have expired without being met. Why would we have litigation over a contract that has failed to meet its obligations,” wrote Clr Mahlangu.
The mayor however, warned that the local authority was in danger of getting bogged down in protracted litigation, stating that he would convene an urgent caucus meeting on both the Egodini and TTI parking management contract when he came back.
“I have decided nothing on my own. There is a pre-existing contract which is still in force until it is cancelled. All that has been discussed is what they need to do to avoid the contract being cancelled. That was done in terms of the existing contract. As you are aware given the hectic (schedule) last week I had, it was impossible to brief you all in what was discussed. But no substantive decisions were made nor could they be. It is another thing entirely moving to cancel the contract entirely which may, or may not be, in the best interests of the city. None of us should ever act in an arbitrary, unilateral, fashion which could have major ramifications and leave us all with a lot of mud on our collective faces,” said Clr Coltart.
On the said notice of termination that was given to Terracotta, Clr Coltart said; “I reviewed the notice and it was not the correct legal procedure. I redrafted a letter in terms of the contract declaring a dispute. When I am back I will explain in detail. But we will do everything possible to act in the best interests of the city.”
However, the councillors vowed to defy the mayor, with the motion already having been signed and sent to the city’s chamber secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou for noting.
“I am so saddened by that our Mayor thinks everything should evolve around him and making decisions for us and not with us. He was present when we elected our acting Mayor, is he saying Makhumalo (Clr Ntombizodwa Khumalo) is not capable of making decisions that we have to wait for him to decide on critical issues,” wrote proportional representation councillor, Melisa Mabeza.
According to a council report, phase 1A of the multi-million-dollar project is 55 percent complete with civil works, roof works, bus terminus and informal traders’ sheds, brickworks in progress. Terracotta has been giving varying timelines for the completion of the project citing a number of challenges for the continued delay, which include the Covid-19 induced lockdown and the failure by the local authority to timeously fulfill its mandate of handing over the site to them.
Bulawayo residents have questioned the progress of the project that was initially set to start in 2016 with various set deadlines being continuously missed.
This saw councillors and residents at one point calling on the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to reverse the tender.
The continued closure of the terminus has seen an influx of illegal pickup and drop off points in the city centre with commuter omnibus operators blocking a section of 6th Avenue between Lobengula Street and Herbert Chitepo Street.
At the commencement of the project the developer had noted that they will be dividing works into phases so as to allow for the gradual readmission of kombis and traders so as to reduce the congestion that has been experienced in the city. The phases were to be phase 1A, 1B, 2 and 3.
Phase 1A includes the construction of the taxi rank, traders’ stalls, public ablutions, workshop, filling station and storage facilities.
Online Reporter