Government appoints three commissioners to run BCC

GOVERNMENT has appointed three commissioners to run the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in the absence of councillors who are yet to be sworn in following the July 30 harmonised elections.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo appointed Bulawayo Provincial Administrator Mrs Khonzani Ncube and Mrs Thandiwe Thando Mlobane — an expert and consultant in local government issues as commissioners.

They will be joined by Vee Mehta who also previously served as a commissioner for Bulawayo prior to the swearing in ceremony of councillors after the 2013 elections.

Bulawayo Provincial Administrator Mrs Ncube confirmed her appointment together with the other two commissioners. She said their appointment ensures that there is no leadership vacuum before the councillors are sworn in.

“What it means is that in the absence of councillors, obviously there are things that need to be attended to which were ordinarily expected to be done by councillors as provided for under the Urban Councils Act,” she said.

“There are terms of reference that guide us while we preside over Bulawayo City Council on an interim basis until new council has been sworn in. We are expected to strictly adhere to existing statutes. We are filling the gap until councillors have been sworn in.”

The commissioners were appointed at a time when the BCC was threatening to disconnect water supplies to residents whose accounts are in arrears despite a council resolution, days before last month’s elections, not to do so.

Councillors last month resolved that the local authority should not disconnect water supplies to owing residents until September.

But on Friday last week, the BCC wrote letters of notice warning residents of imminent water disconnections.

The threat raises fears of the outbreak of diseases such as typhoid which is ravaging Gweru and cholera that claimed some lives in Chegutu in January and February. — @nqotshili