Tsholotsho official placed off remand
TSHOLOTSHO Rural District Council executive officer-in-charge of Natural Resources, Simelisizwe Sibanda heaved a sigh of relief last week after he was placed off remand by a Bulawayo magistrate.
Sibanda was charged with criminal abuse of office and remanded out of custody on $200 bail by Tsholotsho magistrate Mr Victor Mpofu early this year. His case was later transferred to Bulawayo and was heard at the Tredgold magistrates’ court. On Thursday, the court concluded that “state to proceed by way of summons. Matter is placed off remand.”
Among his charges, Sibanda was accused of manipulating hunting permits and tender processes in Tsholotsho, which he however, vehemently denied.
Meanwhile, it emerged the council has since “suspended” him, after councillors had earlier on passed a motion to send him packing, as drama continues in the Matabeleland North Rural District Council.
The move comes barely a few weeks after council acting chief executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda appeared in court facing graft charges emanating from allegations that he prejudiced the local authority of US$4 179 900 through the Tsholotsho North hunting concession deal awarded to Matupula Hunters.
The acting CEO is alleged to have reduced the original bidding price in the final contract.
However, in the latest twist, councillors, a few weeks ago called for a special council meeting, attended by Nkululeko Sibanda, where they resolved to fire Simelisizwe Sibanda. The acting CEO was to later on opt for a suspension and not termination of employment.
Chief among Simelisizwe Sibanda’s offences is penning a tip-off letter to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development which was copied to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry and the AuditorGeneral exposing the loopholes surrounding the issuance of the contract to Matupula Hunters.
A letter seen by Sunday News, however, indicated that after the resolution, Nkululeko Sibanda noted that the expulsion has since been downgraded to a suspension.
“These charges emanate from the allegations that you did write a letter to the Ministry of Finance copied to Ministry of Local Government, council chairperson and the chief executive officer, complaining that council resolved to issue Matupula Hunters a contract without the approval of the chief accounting officer of council. It was expected that as a council employee you should have sought audience with the employer before overriding council decisions.
“You did wilfully refuse to execute an order given to you by the employer for you to issue an authorisation letter in respect of the Matupula hunting authorisation correspondence. You, however, in the contrary wrote a letter to ZimParks in a bid to block the issuance of a permit to the said hunter,” reads part of written by the acting CEO to Simelisizwe Sibanda.
Contacted for comment, Simelisizwe Sibanda refused to divulge much arguing that he was not allowed to speak to the media and referred all questions to the acting CEO. However, the acting CEO initially denied that the executive officer-incharge of Natural Resources had been suspended claiming that they were instead “working on suspending him on Monday (tomorrow)”.
Pushed further, the acting CEO eventually confirmed the suspension claiming he had given the suspension letter to the human resources department.
“I guess he has been suspended, we were working towards his suspension because of a number of issues, chief among these being his insubordination by refusing to implement an executive decision regarding the Matupula Hunters contract,” said Nkululeko Sibanda.
Questioned why they had downgraded the move to a suspension as opposed to expulsion as passed by councillors, the acting CEO said he had the power to overturn any council motion.
“I overturned that decision by the councillors, I am the acting chief executive officer and I am responsible for my staff hence I decided to suspend him,” he said.
The council’s acting chairperson, Clr Siwela, however, rubbished the acting CEO’s sentiments saying his duty was to implement the resolution and he had no power to overturn any council resolution.
“Who is he to overturn a resolution, as far as we are concerned that decision was passed above board, actually councillors proposed it and he was duly seconded hence executive officer-incharge of Natural Resources has been fired. If the acting CEO claims he suspended him, is there a tribunal to investigate him, under what order is he suspending him, what is the charge? Clearly there is something amiss in all this,” said Clr Siwela.