The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube Municipal Reporter
THE beleaguered opposition party, MDC-T Bulawayo provincial leadership is reportedly planning to recall two of its councillors who they accuse of failing to toe the line on a number of resolutions that the party has passed. The party reportedly convened a provincial executive meeting last week where the motion was
passed and is set for further consideration next week before the recommendations are forwarded to the party’s national executive.
The affected councillors are Collet Ndhlovu (Ward 28) and Sithabile Mataka (Ward 2).
Sources within the party said Clr Ndhlovu stands accused of holding a counter meeting in his ward when the party was holding a demonstration in the city a couple of weeks ago. Clr Mataka on the other hand, has been accused of being a member of the Tendai Biti led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) party, where she is said to be the party’s provincial deputy organising secretary in the main wing.
The sources said the initial plan was to recall Bulawayo Central MP, Ms Dorcas Sibanda for boycotting the 28 May demonstration but the motion had been quashed after she officially apologised.
“The motion is now at an advanced stage, we will meet as a province once again next week where the issue will be finalised then forwarded to our national executive. Clr Ndhlovu is said to have organised a counter meeting in his ward and further opposed a party directive to endorse Mrs Sikhangele Zhou as the Bulawayo Town Clerk and instead vowed that councillors should have the autonomy to select their own candidate. Clr Mataka was initially noted to have never attended any party meeting in the past year, where upon further investigation it was discovered that she was in the provincial structures of PDP,” said the source.
Contacted for comment, the provincial chairperson who is also the city Deputy Mayor Clr Gift Banda confirmed that they would be recalling Clr Mataka for her known association with PDP. Regarding, Clr Ndhlovu, the provincial chairperson said while they had received a letter of complaint from the ward, they would give him an opportunity to respond before they consider the issue.
“Clr Mataka is indeed a known member of the PDP, we understand that she is in the provincial structures hence we feel it is wrong for us to continue giving her the platform to interface with our members yet we all know that she is a member of the PDP. She was elected under the MDC-T ticket, now that she has chosen to defect, she has thus decided her fate. Regarding Clr Ndhlovu, yes, indeed we received a letter of complaint but we cannot just reach a decision without following the due process. He has to be given a platform to respond after which we can then decide a way forward,” said Clr Banda.
Commenting on the issue, Clr Mataka had no kind words for Clr Banda saying if he wanted to recall her, he could go ahead. She further confirmed that she was now a member of the PDP and that she was not prepared to cohabit with corrupt individuals.
“Yes, I am a proud member of the PDP where I am the provincial deputy provincial organising secretary. If Banda wants to recall me, let him go ahead, what he and his party must realise is that I don’t survive from being a councillor. I made my money long back and I am satisfied with it unlike them who want to enrich themselves by engaging in corrupt activities, abusing their powers as councillors. Before they recall me, they, however, have to tell me which section of the constitution they are using because while the constitution is clear on the recalling of MPs, it is silent on councillors but anyway let them go ahead. I simply don’t care,” said Clr Mataka.
PDP provincial secretary for information and publicity, Mr Edwin Ndlovu also confirmed that Clr Mataka was their member and accused Clr Banda of unfairly targeting her.
“Clr Mataka is PDP deputy organising secretary for Bulawayo province and is our only councillor in Bulawayo. We are aware as a party that Gift Banda and his cronies in MDC-T are threatening our councillor with expulsion if she refuses to join them. She has made it very clear to her party PDP that she left MDC-T because of its corrupt tendencies and she would be grateful if they go ahead with the threat.
“Unlike some of the councillors who joined the council to eke out a living, hers was inspired by the desire to serve the people and will continue doing so even out of the council chambers. No amount of lies, wishful thinking and blackmail will force Clr Mataka to eat her vomit. Those plotting her recall should instead concentrate on clearing their names on corruption allegations,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Clr Ndhlovu on the other hand said he was not aware of any attempts to recall him but denied that he had at any point convened a meeting on the said day, alleging that he had actually attended the demonstration.
“Usually I do not call meetings but I am invited by the residents’ association. On this particular case it wasn’t even a meeting, it was a group of seven people who had come to my office so we could resolve a certain problem which they had encountered. After that I attended the demonstration so I don’t know what they are talking about,” said Clr Ndhlovu.
