Councillors divided over failed Egodini Mall project

BULAWAYO City Councillors are divided on the way forward regarding the failed Egodini Mall project whose repeated implementation failure by Terracotta Trading (Pvt) Ltd has drawn criticism from frustrated residents.

In a contentious debate during full council meeting, a portion of councillors pushed to extend the contract for the long-delayed Egodini Mall project by an additional 24 months.

This comes at a time when residents have expressed frustration over the project, which has been blamed for traffic congestion in the city. Other councillors called for the immediate cancellation of the contract, citing incompetence by the contractor.

Despite calls for a vote to extend the contract, Bulawayo mayor, Councillor David Coltart, urged the matter to be tabled to its relevant committee for approval.

Clr Coltart said it was essential to meet with the contractor before any decision is made.

“It’s inappropriate to cancel the contract without gathering all the facts. We need to meet the contractor to understand their perspective on the matter,” he said.

“In my work as a lawyer, I have always known that there are always two sides to a story. We need to hear that before we resolve.”

Deputy Mayor Clr Edwin Ndlovu concurred with Clr Coltart saying it will be futile to make an uninformed decision that will likely lead to legal battles.

“This is a contractual issue and prematurely deciding on it may lead to legal battles. We would rather meet as councillors with the contractor and understand where the problem lies. Let’s be practical and logical when it comes to this issue,” said Clr Ndlovu.

Once deemed a transformative project for the city, the Egodini redevelopment now teeters on the brink, hamstrung by financial constraints, shifting goalposts and diminishing public confidence.

The long-stalled Egodini Mall and Transport Hub redevelopment project last month took a dramatic turn with the contractor proposing to slash its investment from US$60 million to just US$10,5 million, a move that sparked alarm within the BCC.

Egodini was closed in 2016 to pave way for what was billed to be a state-of-the-art shopping complex and integrated bus terminus.

Nearly a decade later, however, only Phase One, a basic taxi rank serving the western suburbs, has been delivered.

The rest of the project, especially the mall component, remains in limbo, drawing sharp criticism from residents, civic groups, and informal traders who blame the delays for exacerbating congestion and disorder in the city centre.

Terracotta was originally awarded the contract with a submitted bid of US$59,599,480.48, significantly higher than the next two bidders, one of whom proposed US$30 million and another just US$3 million.

As pressure mounts on the developer to deliver, the council has now extended the six-month notice of contract termination that was initially set to expire in mid-June to September 12, 2025, allowing more time for dialogue.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage the deal, Terracotta recently informed council that it had partnered with a local firm, Better Brands Construction to implement the project.

The two entities have since signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate project completion.

However, city officials have demanded that Terracotta submit a comprehensive implementation plan, including detailed design drawings, estimated costs, and a performance bond from a reputable local bank.

Added to that, the technical team insisted that priority be given to the construction of anchor shops, food outlets, supermarkets and a bus rank to attract businesses and boost commuter traffic.

Chamber Secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, has raised serious concerns over the proposed budget cut, warning that the new figure would compromise the quality and vision of the original project.

Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube echoed the same sentiments, describing the drastic change as an implicit admission of failure by the contractor.