Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru
City Council on Tuesday, October 15, confirmed the suspension of town clerk Elizabeth
Gwatipedza saying the move was necessitated by deteriorating service delivery
standards and her failure to effectively carry out her duties.
City Council on Tuesday, October 15, confirmed the suspension of town clerk Elizabeth
Gwatipedza saying the move was necessitated by deteriorating service delivery
standards and her failure to effectively carry out her duties.
Mayor
Josiah Makombe said the suspension was due to the failure by Gwatipedza, as the
accounting officer, to effectively run council operations.
Josiah Makombe said the suspension was due to the failure by Gwatipedza, as the
accounting officer, to effectively run council operations.
“We
are coming from a special council meeting were deliberations on the suspension
letter have been made. The letter was issued yesterday and councillors have
harmoniously adopted the move.
are coming from a special council meeting were deliberations on the suspension
letter have been made. The letter was issued yesterday and councillors have
harmoniously adopted the move.
“So
she is now suspended pending necessary processes which need to done according
to the law. So it’s just a suspension whereby she must answer to the charges.
she is now suspended pending necessary processes which need to done according
to the law. So it’s just a suspension whereby she must answer to the charges.
“Being
the accounting officer, she was supposed to act and implement service delivery
operations to the expectations of residents. Roads are bad, refuse is not being
collected and water issues – all those are not well. We want to make everyone
understand that we mean business. This is council’s decision and six charges
are being levelled namely gross incompetence and failure to manage departments
amid others,” said Makombe.
the accounting officer, she was supposed to act and implement service delivery
operations to the expectations of residents. Roads are bad, refuse is not being
collected and water issues – all those are not well. We want to make everyone
understand that we mean business. This is council’s decision and six charges
are being levelled namely gross incompetence and failure to manage departments
amid others,” said Makombe.
He
said the suspension was not politically-motivated but was meant to point out
the direction that the city should take.
said the suspension was not politically-motivated but was meant to point out
the direction that the city should take.
“This
is purely on employment basis where one is supposed to be accountable. It’s not
a political decision; we are declared politicians as councillors but our staff members
are not politically-enclosed. We cannot use politics on our staff. Mrs
Gwatipedza was employed on merit,” Makombe said.
is purely on employment basis where one is supposed to be accountable. It’s not
a political decision; we are declared politicians as councillors but our staff members
are not politically-enclosed. We cannot use politics on our staff. Mrs
Gwatipedza was employed on merit,” Makombe said.
Local
residents groups have of late complained that municipal services are
deteriorating, pointing to a recent service delivery report as evidence of
corruption and mismanagement.
residents groups have of late complained that municipal services are
deteriorating, pointing to a recent service delivery report as evidence of
corruption and mismanagement.
Gweru
Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) director, Selipiwe Cornelia accused
Gwatipedza’s office of deliberately failing to respond to questions arising
from the adverse report.
Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) director, Selipiwe Cornelia accused
Gwatipedza’s office of deliberately failing to respond to questions arising
from the adverse report.
Among
many other evidence of gross incompetence, the report points to glaring mistakes
by the director of engineering Robson Manatsa, regarding water capacity and recordings at Gwenhoro
Dam and the procurement of an old backhoe loader which the department had
claimed was new.
many other evidence of gross incompetence, the report points to glaring mistakes
by the director of engineering Robson Manatsa, regarding water capacity and recordings at Gwenhoro
Dam and the procurement of an old backhoe loader which the department had
claimed was new.
