Hwange Local Board councillors trial hits snag
THE trial of 10 Hwange Local Board councillors facing charges of criminal abuse involving the issuing of a tender failed to kick off last week after the State’s star witness absconded.
The councillors are being accused of flouting the Urban Councils Act after they allegedly awarded N and S Properties a contract to services its Empumalanga Phase Two project in Hwange without going to tender. It is alleged that the company was supposed to develop 1 705 stands in four phases at a cost of $1 619 750.
However, the developer halted servicing in the first phase following a fallout with the local authority over payment of $451 250.
The councillors who include the board chairperson, Cosmas Kaboloma Ndlhovu, Wilson Maphosa, Pius Shumba, Robert Ndlovu, Salani Nkomazana, Chemist Dube, Dewa Kondo, Joseph Munkuli, Absalom Kwenda and Leonard Dhlakama appeared before Hwange provincial magistrate Mrs Portia Mhlanga last week.
Mrs Mhlanga was forced to postpone the case to 22 May for trial after the State indicated that a key witness who was supposed to give evidence had not been served summons to attend court. However, court officials revealed to Sunday News that the witness who is the owner of N and S Properties was demanding hotel accommodation and a flight ticket from the State to travel to Hwange. N and S Properties is based in Bulawayo.
According to court documents the councillors are said to have in 2012 unprocedurally awarded to Bulawayo based land developer, N and S Properties without going through formal tender procedures as required by the law.
It is alleged that Ndlovu and a team of councillors travelled to Bulawayo to scout for a land developer to service 645 stands under the Empumalanga Phase Two project. The local authority was supposed to award the project through tender.
The 10 through their lawyer, Mr Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company are pleading not guilty arguing that council complied with the tender procedures and that the charges against them were malicious and unfounded.