Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THERE was jostling for positions among CCC councillors in Bulawayo following a decision by the city’s mayor, Councillor David Coltart to take a 23-day leave, barely two months after assuming office.
A special council meeting was held on Friday after Clr Coltart had instructed that councillors should elect an acting deputy mayor following the recalling of Donaldson Mabuto and subsequently as the city’s mayor during his leave of absence.
Ward 23 councillor, Ntombizodwa Khumalo was subsequently voted the acting mayor shrugging off competition from Clr Edwin Ndlovu and Clr Mpumelelo Moyo. Clr Coltart confirmed the outcome of the vote on his X account (formerly Twitter).
“I report that Clr Ntombizodwa Khumalo has been appointed acting mayor of the great city of Bulawayo in terms of Section 104 (3) of the Urban Council’s Act during my absence from 20 October 2023 to 12 November 2023. If the Deputy Mayor Clr Donaldson Mabuto is reinstated during this period he will automatically take over as acting mayor,” said Clr Coltart.
However, it has since emerged that before Friday’s vote, councillors were already jostling to take up the position, with the chairperson of the finance and development committee, Clr Moyo arguing that precedence spelt that he was the third in line in terms of hierarchy and hence the position was rightfully his.
Clr Moyo allegedly wrote a WhatsApp message directed at party leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa and “mistakenly” sent it to a group made up of councillors and council management, claiming Clr Coltart did not prefer him to take up the position.
“Good afternoon president. I normally like talking about myself and avoid gossiping about others. However, on this one I have no choice but to seek recourse from you. Mayor Coltart is going away on leave and unfortunately Deputy Mayor has been temporarily recalled. By virtue of me being a finance chair I have to become an acting mayor until Mayor Coltart comes back from his leave. The challenge now seems he does not prefer me and he has even called for special council tomorrow (last Friday) to elect an acting mayor,” reads part of the message.
Clr Moyo further alleged that with the party directing that councillors disengage from council business, the move by Mayor Coltart to call for the special council would expose their double standards.
“We are currently on disengagement as per your pronouncement and we have not been going to Chambers. However, our mayor seems to want us to break that tomorrow (last Friday) because of his agenda. This will cause even more confusion next (this) week as people would argue that we were at Chambers the previous week. As per the norm where Finance Chair acts in the absence of both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor I am also willing to act in this capacity and I have no doubt I will make you proud my president,” reads the message.
According to council sources, the majority of the councillors had opted for Clr Khumalo after it emerged that she had the backing of the party’s interim secretary Mr Sengezo Tshabangu, with the councillors reportedly fearing to be part of the next batch on the recall list.
“The situation is that while there is a directive from Chamisa for councillors to disengage from all council business the fear among those councillors that have not been recalled is that they can find themselves having been recalled. Before the special council, they were whispers that Clr Khumalo had the backing of Mr Tshabangu and the majority of the councillors ended up endorsing her,” said one councillor.
Online Reporter