Dubious allocation of stands on public open space ...

Dubious allocation of stands on public open space lands Chitungwiza director in court

Suspended Chitungwiza Municipality housing and community services director Hazel Sithole has appeared in court for allegedly creating and allocating stands on open public space.

Sithole stands accused of allocating 30 commercial stands wrongfully created on a public open space and worth US$240 000 without following standard procedures.

Suspended Chitungwiza Municipality housing and community services director Hazel Sithole (R)

The State through Mr Pardon Dziva alleges that between January 2019 and October 2020, Sithole, did not comply with Chitungwiza Municipality’s housing policy.

She was required to publish a notice in two issues of a newspaper and post at the offices of the council.

The public should also have been allowed to make objections within 21 days from the last date of publication.<

In 2019, Sithole allocated on lease, commercial stands numbers 60189-60218 Unit G, Makoni Business Centre, Chitungwiza, on an area which was reserved as an open space in the master plan.

She disregarded the requirements of the Urban Councils Act which stipulates that in allocating commercial and industrial stands, the director of Housing and Community Services must oversee a competitive bidding process with minimum offers determined by council.

Thus the other requirements including submission of adjudication outcome to the Finance Committee for information and awarding following existing procurement procedures and a council resolution were not met.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje remanded Sithole out of custody on $100 000 bail to July 31.