The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has reversed a resolution that saw the local authority awarding its Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube and his partner company BDP Investments sole rights to mining claims at a farm owned by the council.
The matter which had raised a stench within council chambers, residents and some of the companies which lost the bid to the claims saw even councillors on a number of occasions deferring the matter for further deliberations and consultations before he was eventually awarded the claim.
Initially, the local authority had trimmed a final list of eight to four where Mr Dube, through his company Belmac Investments, was awarded mining claims that are located at Aisleby Farm.
He was meant to share the claim with BDP Investments, with BCC rangers and Nomathemba Tshuma losing out.
At Goodhope Farm, Transport and Infrastructural Development Ministry Permanent Secretary, Engineer George Mlilo and Mr Mngane Ncube were awarded the claims with the city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo and Ms Nokuthanda Masuku.
However, it has since emerged that council has since given in to the pressure, which saw them even facing legal action, and have since decided to also award the other companies and individuals that had been sidelined during the adjudication process.
Council sources revealed that the local authority was facing legal action from BCC Rangers and Ms Masuku who had written to the local authority questioning the adjudication process, further threatening BCC with legal action if they did not reverse the resolution.
Furthermore, Mr Dube was facing his own battles after the company he was meant to share the claims with — BDP Investments — alleged that he went behind the company’s back to peg his claims, taking a huge chunk of the farm.
“With all the controversy surrounding the mining issue, councillors felt the best thing was to award all the eight companies and individuals with the mining claims. It was believed that this was the only win-win solution to the impasses.
“Through consultations with the council’s legal department, it was decided that the local authority could not afford any legal action hence all eight companies now have the claims at both farms,” said the source.
In notices flighted in the local Press last Friday, the local authority called on anyone who had any objections to the awarding of the claims to BCC Rangers and Nokuthanda Masuku to file their objections no later than 2 March.
“Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 152(2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15)that the council intends to lease Lot 5A Aisleby Farm in extent approximately 10,01 hectares as shown on drawing number TPA 8596 to Bulawayo city council Rangers.
“The stand shall be used for the purposes of mining only.
“The lease shall be for a period of five years subject to review. Applicant to approach the Ministry of mines and mineral Development for pegging of a mining claim measuring one hectare. All costs relating to the lease are to be borne by the applicant,” reads part of the notice.
According to a council report a total of 33 applicants expressed interest in taking up the claims within the two farms of which just 19 were responsive, with the list being reduced to the eight that were presented before council.
