Suspended town clerk faces more charges
SUSPENDED Gweru town clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza, will soon have more charges preferred against her, Gweru Mayor, Councillor Josiah Makombe has said.
Ms Gwatipedza was suspended last week by Clr Makombe a few days after the two had an altercation during a full council meeting where the city father accused his subordinate of misleading him on various matters. Clr Makombe said there were more charges that Ms Gwatipedza will face which will be revealed once investigations have been completed.
“Gross incompetence, council is greatly concerned about your continuous failure in discharging your duties diligently and effectively as expected resulting in council failing to properly operate.
“Gross insubordination, council on several occasions requested that you avail your contract of employment and those of your directors to which you have refused, failed and neglected to do so.
“As a mayor I have also written to you and you have failed to respond or avail the contracts,” said Clr Makombe.
Clr Makombe said Ms Gwatipedza faced a number of allegations which includes failure to co-ordinate, monitor and supervise all departments thereby resulting in employees working in silos which consequently affected service delivery.
“These are not the only charges against her. We will prefer more charges against her soon,” he said.
Chamber Secretary Mr Vakayi Douglas Chikwekwe is acting Town Clerk. Ironically Mr Chikwekwe was in the process of being suspended by Ms Gwatipedza over alleged abuse of council resources after allegedly fraudulently claiming more than 4 500 litres of fuel worth more than $70 000. This comes at a time when the local authority has pronounced that it was technically insolvent.
Ideally if a company is technically insolvent it goes under judicial management and in the case of local authorities, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing appoints a commission to run the day to day operations of the council.