Suspended Chitown Council official Haze Sithole gr...

Suspended Chitown Council official Haze Sithole granted ZWL$100k bail in abuse of office rap

Michael Mashiri

Suspended Chitungwiza Municipality Housing and Community Services Director has appeared in court facing criminal abuse of office as a public officer after failing to adhere to the town's land policy by allocating people stands unlawfully.

Hazel Sithole, 45, of Twentydale Estate, Ruwa, Goromonzi, was before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts accused of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

The State alleges that, between January 2019 and October 2020, Sithole was a public officer employed by the local authority of Chitungwiza.

During her tenure of office, her duties involved ensuring lawful allocation of Council land in compliance with Section 152 of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 as read with Clauses 9 and 13 of Chitungwiza Municipality Housing Policy which provides comprehensive procedures which are supposed to be followed when allocating commercial stands.

In 2019, Sithole allocated on a lease to 30 beneficiaries commercial stands in Unit G, Makoni Business Centre, Chitungwiza, an area which was reserved as an open space from the Master Plan.

It is alleged that Sithole, disregarded the requirements of the Urban Councils Act which states that, before selling, exchanging, leasing, donating or disposing of or permitting the use of any land owned by Council, it shall by notice published in two issues of newspapers and posted at the office of the Council describing the land concerned and stating the object, terms and conditions of the proposed sale, exchange, lease, donation, disposition or grant of permission of use inviting any person who objects to proposal to lodge his or her objection with the town clerk within a period of twenty-one days from the date of the last publication of the notice in a newspaper.

Sithole failed to adhere to the town's land policy which stipulates that in allocating commercial and industrial stands, the Director of Housing and Community Services must, inter alia, follow a competitive bidding process with minimum offers determined by Council, submission of adjudication outcome to Finance Committee for information and awarding following existing procurement procedures and council resolution.

These three requirements are meant to ensure that there is no favouritism, abuse and other forms of corruption were all completely ignored by Sithole.

She went on to enter into lease agreements with the beneficiaries knowing that none of the allocation procedures had been adhered to.

This was in conflict with Chitungwiza Municipality Housing Policy which states that, Council stands are given with a council resolution and through competitive bidding.

The State alleges that, her actions were meant to show undue favour to the beneficiaries.

That led to US$240 000 prejudice by Sithole.

Sithole was ordered to pay ZWL$100 000 as bail recognisance. She was instructed to continue to stay at the given address until the matter was finalised and will be reporting once every Friday at Epworth Police Station.

She will appear in court on July 31, 2023.