Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
BULAWAYO Mayor, Councillor David Coltart sought the intervention of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Bulawayo, Judith Ncube, to help solve an impasse among councillors regarding the extension of the city’s Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube’s contract.
This came after an emotionally charged council meeting to deliberate on the matter ended in a deadlock with Clr Coltart saying he had adjourned it, claiming councillors and senior managers were subjected to intimidation.
However, his Deputy, Clr Edwin Ndlovu refuted those claims, saying the meeting was orderly, properly constituted and proceeded within the law even after the mayor left the chamber.
Last Thursday, councillors finally put the matter to rest, during a special council meeting, where they resolved to extend Mr Dube’s contract by an initial one year to November 2026 and then by a further four years until 2030.
Mr Dube’s contract was set to come to an end today at midnight.
It has since emerged the meeting was convened after Clr Coltart, had to seek the intervention from Minister Ncube, following the impasse.
The local authority’s committee responsible for human resources, the General Purposes Committee, which Mayor Coltart chairs, had proposed that the contract be increased by a year 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.
However, some of the councillors felt that was not necessary, thus moving a motion to have the contract initially extended to November 2026, then further extended by four years to 2030, arguing there is no record that the town clerk is not performing his duties and responsibilities to satisfaction, despite that he is working with limited resources.
Clr Coltart confirmed the latest development, revealing that after a vote, 17 councillors voted in favour of the contract extension, seven against, and one councillor abstained from voting.
“You can get the full details from the corporate communications manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, but what I can confirm for now is that Clr Mxolisi Mahlangu’s proposal, which was seconded by Clr Aston Mhlanga, was endorsed with a 17 to 7 vote and one councillor declined to comment.
“So, the town clerk’s contract has been increased by an initial one year, till November 2026, and once that one expires, it will be increased by a further four years,” said Clr Coltart.
The mayor revealed that councillors voted against the need to engage the Attorney- General’s office or the issue of a performance review.
According to a council report that was presented to councillors before the meeting, it was revealed that following the request from Mayor Coltart, Minister Ncube had convened a meeting last Monday, which was attended by herself, the mayor, the Town Clerk, the Permanent Secretary in her office, Mr Paul Nyoni and a director in the office of the President and Cabinet.
“Following a constructive discussion, it was unanimously agreed by all present that it would be constructive for all parties if the Bulawayo City Council were to pass the resolution captured to resolve the matter.
“In order to facilitate a debate and passage of a resolution to deal with the matter prior to the end of the month it was agreed that the Mayor would convene a Special meeting of Council in terms of section 84(3) of the Urban Council’s Act,” reads the report.
