(HERALD) Team set up to probe Redcliff

Team set up to probe Redcliff
By Takunda Maodza and Mchael Chideme

Government has set up a four-member team to investigate Redcliff Municipality following the unearthing of gross mismanagement of council affairs by this paper this week, while the MDC-T has also launched its own investigations to establish the extent of corruption in all local authorities under its control.

In an interview yesterday, Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Mr Killian Mpingo confirmed that the Government was investigating Redcliff Municipality.

"We have put together a team. They have to go there and have a critical look at management systems, the efficiency or lack of it and proffer solutions to challenges the local authority is facing," he said.

The four-member team to investigate Redcliff is made up of Mr Charles Masawi, district administrator for Harare Central; Mr E.Z Mupfunya (acting chief internal auditor in the Local Government Ministry), Mrs Lingiwe Ravasingadi (DA for Zvishavane) and Mr T. Maja.

The MDC-T team, led by deputy secretary- general and Hatfield Member of the House of Assembly Mr Tapuwa Mashakada, comprises former Harare City councillor and national executive member Mr Last Maengehama, Kadoma Central MP Mrs Editor Matamisa, Sunningdale MP Mrs Margaret Matienga and Chimanimani West MP Lynette Karenyi.

The Government team’s terms of reference include establishing circumstances surrounding the suspension of Acting Town Clerk Mr Trust Semwayo last month. It has also has been tasked to investigate possible abuse of public funds by councillors, officials and failure to comply with provisions, which relate to disbursement and use of public funds.

The team will further investigate the accounting, financial and personnel systems of council and any other issues relevant to the governance of Redcliff Municipality and ascertain alleged mismanagement of council leading to a decline in service delivery and imminent collapse.

The investigators have also been tasked to verify compliance of transaction of council business including meetings within the legislative framework and relevant administrative instruments.

The probe team is expected to determine the impact of councillors’ behaviour collectively and severally on service delivery at Redcliff Municipality.

The investigations should be completed within five days from the date of commencement on Monday next week and the financially troubled Redcliff Municipality will meet the costs of the investigation.

The Herald is reliably informed that communication has already been made to Redcliff Municipality that the investigating team would descend on the once vibrant industrial town on Monday next week.

"A fax from the ministry notifying authorities about the investigating team’s visit was sent to Redcliff on Thursday this week," a source said.

Redcliff Municipality has collapsed as a result of gross mismanagement of funds and non-payment of rates by residents and companies operating in the MDC-T-run town.

Council is owed US$4 million in unpaid rates with companies such as Ziscosteel having last settled their bills in February 2008.

Other companies based in Redcliff like Zimchem and Bimco have since stopped paying rates citing viability problems.

Steelmakers, the only company that is paying rates, had its US$74 000 monthly bill reduced to US$700 under unclear circumstances.

Council has not been paying its workers salaries since September 2009 and the unpaid wage bill has ballooned to US$420 000.

Contract workers have not received their salaries since March last year.

Redcliff is also failing to settle its bills with such service providers as Zesa Holdings, TelOne and Ziscosteel.

MDC-T spokesman Mr Nelson Chamisa confirmed yesterday that his party had set up a team to investigate the operations of all local authorities it controls.

"We have constituted a team led by Mr Mashakada to radically and thoroughly deal with cases of corruption and non-transparency in the transactions of local government business in all local authorities," said Mr Chamisa.

He said the team would visit local authorities to ascertain issues of service delivery, accountability and transparency in the awarding of tenders.

"The team will meet with residents, stakeholders and where necessary, council employees," he said.