Council suspends looting whistleblower

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council has suspended its employee, Cornelius Selipiwe who is also a residents association chairperson over a petition urging the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere, to investigate alleged looting of funds by the commission running the city.
Selipiwe who is chairman of Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) is employed in the municipality’s department of engineering services.
He was suspended for allegedly committing an act inconsistent with the fulfilment of the conditions of his contract of employment.
Acting director of engineering services, Engineer Praymore Mhlanga, said charges against Selipiwe were being prepared.
“For the duration of your suspension, you will not be allowed to enter council premises save by invitation or for the purposes of attending any disciplinary hearing,” reads part of the suspension letter handed to Selipiwe.
Residents have been critical of the three-member commission led by Tsunga Mhangami that was appointed to lead the city following the suspension of Gweru mayor, Hamutendi Kombayi, and all the councillors last year.
In their petition to the minister last month, the residents claimed that the commission was allegedly milking the cash strapped local authority, blowing more than $100,000 in travel and subsistence allowances and over 5,000 litres of fuel in less than four months.
The residents alleged that the commissioners were paying themselves outrageous allowances in violation of a ministerial directive dated October 16 last year, directing that they should get only $450 per week to cover accommodation.
Selipiwe told The Chronicle that he was not going to be silenced by the move to suspend him.
“We want the minister to act on the petition because the commissioners are doing exactly the opposite of what the Minister ordered,”