Residents appeal

Harare Residents Trust director Mr Precious Shumba said reports that the council approved the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser VXV8 worth US$190 000 from Mike Harris for town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi and a Jeep Grand Cherokee worth US$117 000 for chamber secretary Mrs Josephine Ncube were worrisome.
“As residents we are  alarmed and outraged at the rate at which service delivery is playing second fiddle to extravagant expenditure by the City of Harare,” said Mr Shumba.

“As a residents’ body, we have the mandate of Harare residents to demand transparency in the utilisation of public resources and accountability of elected and appointed officials, including the senior management of the City of Harare and other service providers.”

Mr Shumba said they appreciated that the city had valid contractual obligations to employees, but that should not be done at the expense of service delivery.  He deplored the failure by the city to regularly collect refuse bins while burst sewerage pipes were a common sight.

“It boggles the mind how the council can purchase luxury vehicles not directly linked to service delivery, yet residents have to contend with heaps of uncollected garbage, inconsistent water supplies, potholed and disintegrating road networks and bills that they can hardly afford to pay,” said Mr Shumba.

He said during the 2013 pre-budget consultations in September, city officials assured residents that they would deliver 27 new refuse collection trucks by end of October, but only one truck had been delivered so far.

City spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi said the proposed purchase of the vehicles was part of their contracts.

“When they were recruited they had certain clauses included in their contracts and if the vehicles are part of it then they must get them,” he said.

“There is nothing sinister if employees are given what is included in their contracts.
“HRT does not seem to realise that when we invite them to all our consultative meetings we will be trying to keep them abreast with developments in the city and not to debate employees’ contracts and employment terms.”

Mr Gwindi said the council bought more than five refuse trucks since October.
“I was away last week and before I left there were already five refuse trucks, so the HRT must not claim that there is only one. It is a process that is not done overnight,” he said.