Alderman Ncube reflects on Khutshwekhaya
THE death of veteran nationalist and first black Mayor of Bulawayo Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu has once again robbed Zimbabwe and Bulawayo in particular of a distinguished politician and civic leader who set the tone for the development of Zimbabwe’s second largest city.
Although I had worked with Cde Ndlovu in the Zapu structures and Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) who was affectionately known as NK or Mhukahuru, a Shona term which means a big wild animal taken from his Ndlovu totem, I was to get closer to him when we became the first black councillors of Bulawayo in June 1981. At that time Bulawayo had 23 wards and PF-Zapu fielded black candidates in wards nine to 23, which covered the high density suburbs. In the eastern suburbs the party sympathised with some white candidates who stood as Independents. The rationale, I must believe, was that in the eastern suburbs or low density suburbs the party was not going to do well as those areas were still a domain of the white community.
I remember well the council election results were announced on 6 June 1981 and as a party we had swept all the wards in the high density suburbs. The swearing- i n - c e remony was done the f o l l owi n g day. It is with a heavy heart that among the first black 14 councillors, wh o took the oath on that day, there are only three of us who are still alive and interestingly we are all members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The other two besides myself is the current Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Bulawayo who is also a former Mayor like myself, Alderman Dennis Ndlovu and Cde Stanley Adam Phuthi, a sibling of former Matabeleland South Governor, Senator Angeline Masuku. I think it will be interesting to mention the 14 colleagues who took the oath of office besides Mhukahuru on that special 7 June 1981, an occasion that tossed to the dustbin a racial led council and opened a new avenue for the civic leadership of Bulawayo. The 14 were the following: Cdes Nicholas Mabodoko whose Ward Nine covered Makokoba, Nyangana Philip Bhule (ward 10) that covered Mzilikazi and Barbourfields, Enos Mdlongwa (ward 11) that covered Mpopoma and Matshobana, James Guduza Ndlovu (ward 12, Entumbane), ward 13 that fell under Emakhandeni had Daniel Sikuwata Ndlela, Mhukahuru himself represented ward 14 that covered parts of Luveve which was known then as Enqameni, Stanley Adam Phuthi was in ward 15 that had Njube, I stood in ward 16 that took all sections of Lobengula, Albert C Ndambe came in ward 17 that had Old Magwegwe, Gwabalanda and some parts of Luveve fell under ward 18 and there was Joel Sikhonzaphi Ndebele, ward 19 that had some parts of Pumula was under William Masuku, Dennis Ndlovu took care of some parts of Pumula as well and his was ward 20, Pelandaba, Iminyela and Mabutweni fell under ward 21 whose representative was Jareth Mpinga Ndlovu, Sizinda and Tshabalala fell under ward 22 and there was Thomas Bhebhe and the last ward, 23 which took some first parts of Nkulumane had the then youthful Nelson Sidanile. After the swearing-in then came the time to elect the Mayor and it was natural that NK took that coveted position in council and was deputised by Cde Mdlongwa. As councillors formed the electoral college to elect the mayor, the party PF-Zapu had instructed that we settle for Cdes Ndlovu and Mdlongwa. The two were strategically deployed in council to offer firm leadership and also steer the local authority in the direction which the party wanted. I say the two were deliberately and strategically deployed to the council because they were members of the Central Committee, so PF-Zapu wanted its governance policies to be reflected in the running of the Bulawayo City Council. PF-Zapu was an opposition party so it wanted to show that it could govern as well and Bulawayo was to be used as the yard stick.
I can safely say and many will agree with me that Mhukahuru turned out to be a good choice for the party as the Bulawayo City Council became the envy of many urban areas in the country because of the way it was run. Its service delivery was just excellent. It delivered where it mattered most. The council excelled in the provision of housing with many suburbs created where home seekers would just go and pick keys from the nearby housing office and move into houses, something that sounds like a folktale these days, the city was also renowned for its cleanliness and a number of residents gained home ownership of the houses they had been occupying for a long time as tenants. That was empowerment at its best that the NK led council brought to the doorsteps of our people. Our council also came up with the idea of involving residents in the crafting of the budget and that was done through budget consultation meetings held across all the city’s wards.
The other thing that I should mention is that when we came into council all the top management positions such as directorships were in the hands of whites. NK then made it clear to us that we should be diplomatic and gradually phase them out. The trick was to learn how the whites had been running the council and to calm them down he assured them their positions were safe. But he made it clear to the white directors that nothing would happen to them for as long as they remained professional and accountable to the new dispensation. With a straight face NK called from the white directors and their staff to give the residents of Bulawayo quality service delivery, integrity, faithfulness, transparency and accountability. He did not mince his words.
However, aside he made it clear to us as councillors that in the event a vacancy fell or a contract ran out especially for a senior position then a white senior official should be replaced by a black person. He said it was important to play politics with the white senior management to avert a situation where they could sabotage us. His point was that we should avoid a situation where the whites would resign en masse. He preferred a smooth hand-over take-over of strategic positions and when the time came deserving individuals like the first black Town Clerk, Mike Ndubiwa who had been operating outside the City Hall took over the mantle and they never disappointed. When we took over the council Ndubiwa was a senior administrative officer at the
council offices situated along Khami Road, on the outskirts of the Central Business District.
When it came to portfolio committees, NK allowed the white councillors to hold stratetegic portfolios such as that of the chairperson of the finance committee. After about two years when he felt we were ready to take that one he pulled me aside and told me that I should go for it. I indeed became the first black chairperson of the finance committee.
When it came to chairing of council meetings NK did that with aplomb. NK did not tolerate councillors who came late for meetings, attended meetings drunk and ill-dressed. As for the new crop of civic leaders I personally find it irritating that councillors now see it fashionable to line up their pockets instead of serving the residents. People like NK were there for servant leadership and it is there for everyone to see. NK, like most of us, never took advantage of our positions to make money or wheel and deal. It is not that we were stupid or were not enterprising; our first port of call was to represent the people of Bulawayo and nothing else. Nowadays the media is always awash with stories of corruption involving councillors and senior council officials. The corruption in councils, it seems has become cancerous.
It would be an injustice not to mention that NK carried two faces. To many he might have looked as a docile individual but to some of us who worked with him, he did not want to be pushed too far. He was a good listener, an empathetic individual but if one messed up with him, he would explode. Some senior politicians I would not mention fell victim to his venom. As for councillors, one of the people who learnt the hard way not to play around with NK was the then youthful Nelson Sidanile. We had just finished a meeting and as usual we had gone into the Mayor’s Parlour. However, I can’t tell exactly what Sidanile said that that irked NK so much resulting in him losing his patience. If it was not for the timely intervention of other councillors I am sure Sidanile could have been floored. Sidanile was shocked and from that day never tested Mhukahuru’s patience. The Press never picked up the incident because in those days things that happened in our meetings remained within the four walls of those buildings. Zazingekho izifuba ezakhatshwa ngama dube phakathi kwethu (We did not have people among us who could not keep secrets).
Finally I say to NK, death is the ultimate end of us all, Mhukahuru, you played your part and ran your distance. You served your people so well but death came and took you. Your advice will be greatly missed. You were a fountain of wisdom.
Alderman Arthur Lee Ncube, a former Mayor of Bulawayo is now a full time farmer and Zanu-PF district chairman in the Somnene area of Bulilima District in Matabeleland South. He spoke to Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda at his farm on Friday for this obituary piece.