Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube Deputy Radar Editor
A CITY of Bulawayo internal audit has exposed an unlawful double sale of a residential stand in Selbourne Brooke, while also implicating the city’s Housing and Community Services Department for supplying inaccurate ownership information that auditors say compromised council processes, damaged the local authority’s credibility and exposed it to litigation.
The findings, contained in a confidential investigation report commissioned by the Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, following a complaint by one of the claimants, conclude that Stand Number 14328 Selbourne Brooke was sold twice by the same private developer to different buyers despite a valid earlier agreement, with council officials later issuing ownership information that contradicted the municipality’s own records.
The investigation was triggered after Dr Innocent Batsani Ncube wrote to Clr Coltart in October last year alleging that another party had begun constructing a house on his stand.
According to the audit report, investigators reviewed council housing files, the municipality’s BIQ accounting system, housing policies, legal documents and High Court records before interviewing council officials, lawyers, the developer and competing claimants.
Continues on www.sundaynews.co.zw
The audit established that Bulawayo Glass and Allied Products (Private) Limited purchased the Selbourne Park land from the City of Bulawayo in 2005 for residential development, with the understanding that the developer would service the land before allocating the stands to residents already on the city’s housing waiting list.
Investigators found that on May 29, 2012, the developer, through Bard Real Estate, legally sold the stand to Dr Innocent Batsani Ncube and his wife, Mrs Zanele Ncube, for US$16 000.
The report states that the purchase price was fully paid through three instalments before the City itself signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the couple on June 6, 2012.
Council also opened a municipal rates account in their names while the couple subsequently submitted building plans, obtained approval and began constructing a house, reaching box level before later selling the property.
“Audit concludes that full rights, title and interest to entitlement and liabilities in respect of Stand Number 14328 Selbourne Brooke . . . evolved from Bulawayo Glass and Allied Products P/L to Innocent Batsani Ncube and Zanele Ncube,” the report states.
The investigation further established that in September 2019, Dr Ncube and his wife sold the stand to Mr Lloyd Chitiyo for US$30 000 through Ken Estate Agents.
Although auditors noted that the sale was never communicated to council as required under the Memorandum of Agreement, they concluded that the transaction had indeed taken place after examining the relevant agreements.
However, the report says the dispute escalated dramatically six years later.
Despite the existence of the 2012 agreement, investigators found that Bulawayo Glass and Allied Products again sold the same stand on June 13, 2025, this time to Mr Bothwell Chenjerai Nhire for US$34 000.
Auditors said they found no evidence that the first agreement with Dr Ncube had ever been cancelled.
The report states that during interviews, the developer’s managing director, Mr Robert Mhlanga, admitted that two agreements of sale existed for the same property.
Investigators also established that the developer later formally wrote to council requesting condonation after acknowledging what it termed an “administration error.”
Significantly, auditors discovered that this was not an isolated incident.
“The said administration error was not peculiar to Stand Number 14328 Selbourne Brooke . . . the same scenario had occurred on several other properties, all of which had also ended up before the High Court.”
The audit’s most damaging findings, however, relate to the conduct of council’s Housing and Community Services Department.
According to investigators, lawyers representing the developer wrote to council in July 2025 seeking confirmation of ownership of the disputed property.
The department responded that Mr Bothwell Nhire “is the only registered owner” of the stand.
But auditors say that statement was directly contradicted by council’s own records.
“A search by Audit in the City’s BIQ system indicates Innocent Batsani Ncube and Zanele Ncube as the property owners. Therefore, the response from the Department of Housing and Community Services was not a factual statement. The same response was later used during the litigation process,” reads the report.
Investigators also established that on the day the developer concluded the second sale agreement with Mr Nhire, council itself simultaneously entered into another Memorandum of Agreement with the second purchaser despite an earlier council agreement already existing with Dr Ncube.
The report says that when Dr Ncube’s lawyers later sought clarification from council over the apparent double sale, the department claimed that the original agreement signed in 2012 had never been returned to council for filing.
Auditors rejected that explanation.
They pointed out that council had already created a rates account in the names of Dr Ncube and his wife, making it difficult to reconcile the department’s position with its own administrative records.
The report is particularly critical of the department’s handling of ownership information.
“Based on evidence presented above Audit concludes that the Housing and Community Services Department presented inaccurate information to the Chamber Secretary’s Department which information was communicated to external stakeholders.
“Audit notes and concludes that such lack of due diligence in providing information to external stakeholders compromises the reliability of City processes and erodes the reputation of the City,” reads the report.
The investigation also uncovered alleged violations of council building regulations.
Auditors found that after purchasing the stand, Mr Nhire demolished the existing structure and commenced constructing a new house.
However, the report states that the new owner only submitted building plans several months after construction had already started.
Council subsequently instructed him in writing to stop all construction until the plans had been approved.
Despite that directive, investigators who repeatedly visited the site found construction continuing, with the building eventually reaching roof level while approval was still outstanding.
In its overall conclusion, the audit delivers a scathing assessment of both the developer’s conduct and weaknesses within council administration.
“According to the evidence presented above, Audit concludes that Bulawayo Glass and Allied Products P/L sold Stand Number 14328 Selbourne Brooke twice, which is unlawful.
“The audit further concludes that the supply of inaccurate information by the Department of Housing and Community Services erodes the City’s reputation.”
Among several recommendations, auditors urged the city to strengthen record management systems, accelerate the digitisation of housing records and integrate them with financial records to improve verification before information is released.
The report also recommends the introduction of stiffer penalties for illegal construction, advised that Dr Ncube pursue criminal and civil remedies through the police and the courts, and called on council to implement any court orders arising from the matter.
