The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
A RIVAL business group in Tsholotsho has come up with a counter petition to endorse a list of candidates that were shortlisted for the position of the Rural District Council chief executive officer, as confusion reigns in the area.
The counter petition comes barely a week after another business committee from the area signed a petition which they forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing citing irregularities in the selection process.
The petition had raised a red flag on the interviewing panel alleging it was chaired by someone of a lower grade than the position being sought, and the other qualified candidates were ignored in controversial circumstances.
However, in the latest twist, another petition has since emerged from another grouping also claiming to be the district’s business community. The latest petition was signed by members of the Tsholotsho International and Local Business Association and addressed to the Matabeleland North provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Richard Moyo.
“Please note, we are the bona fide and only business association in the whole of Tsholotsho District, we are not aware of such a petition. The generality of the business community has professed ignorance of such a petition. In fact we are satisfied with the developmental and ethical work efforts of the council chairperson and the councillors in the district. We believe they are navigating the district in the right direction and their operations are done with the values of transparency, accountability, non-discrimination, integrity, consultation, teamwork and deep love for the prosperity of the entire district,” reads part of the petition.
The association further accuses unnamed individuals of trying to politicise the selection process hiding behind the business community banner.
“In carrying out these transparent processes the council finds itself at odds with some conflicted individuals who are self-centred and purport to represent people’s interests. There are hidden hands of dissatisfied beneficiaries of the old regime and political activists who hide behind the so-called business banner. As the business community we cherish the principle of separation of powers and responsibilities and the different mandates in a multi-disciplinary developmental agenda,” reads the petition.
Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that the council chairperson, Councillor Esau Siwela after the publication hurriedly called for Human Resources council committee meeting via a WhatsApp group that sat last Tuesday and went on to endorse the shortlist.
“Linjani badala, sicela ama-members eHR committee kusasa ehofisini lizobusisa ama-minutes e-shortlisting panel for CEO’s post lihle lifake lelanga lama-interviews (How are you elders, we request members of the Human Resources committee tomorrow at the offices to endorse minutes of the shortlisting panel for the CEO’s post and also agree on a date for the final interviews),” reads the message purported to be coming from the council chairperson.
A councillor who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing victimisation said Clr Siwela had resorted to the non-procedural manner of calling the meeting as pressure mounted on the anomalies surrounding the shortlist.
“What happened was highly illegal because there are proper channels to call such an important meeting. Using a WhatsApp group is not procedural and further, the meeting was more of an endorsement than a debate,” said the councillor.
Other councillors also singled out Mr Minutewell Ncube, who was part of the shortlist for being unfairly allowed to apply for the job. They revealed that Mr Ncube had been part of a committee that was initially tasked with investigating former CEO Mr Themba Moyo and was seen by some people as Clr Siwela’s favourite to take over.
“Mr Ncube is a former Tsholotsho CEO, he left to join politics. In 2013 he contested as an MDC candidate for Tsholotsho South.
When Mr Moyo was being investigated he was also part of the committee that led this investigation therefore there is a feeling among councillors that the process has been biased to favour him from word go,” said one councillor.
Contacted for comment, Clr Siwela confirmed calling the meeting via WhatsApp but said everything had been done above board.
“The Human Resources Committee meeting was very much legal and they endorsed the list, also setting a date for the interviews. I feel this issue is just being spearheaded by bitter individuals who wanted their own candidates to be shortlisted.
Actually we are being respectful to them because if today we decide to publish some of the people who came for the interviews you will see why the interviewing panel came up with those eight. Right now the original petition was signed by shadowy characters whom we don’t even know in Tsholotsho, people should just stop meddling in our district’s business for their own selfish gains,” said Clr Siwela.
Regarding, the shortlisting of Mr Ncube, Clr Siwela said while he was part of the forensic team meant to receive evidence against the former CEO, this did not disqualify him from being in the shortlist.
“Mr Ncube is a trusted son of Tsholotsho, everyone knows him, when the Government investigating committee initially came to investigate former CEO, Mr Moyo, he was chosen by councillors to be part of the forensic team to receive evidence on Mr Moyo, he did not investigate, he was just receiving therefore I don’t see how that disqualifies him,” said the council chairperson.
The shortlisted candidates include; Mr Ncube, Nkululeko Sibanda, a former District Administrator at Insiza RDC, acting Tsholotsho RDC CEO Nkululeko Sibanda, Victor Mpofu, Prosper Msindazi Dlodlo, Pios Ncube, Sibangiso Ndlovu (only female candidate), Jusa Zacharia and Sikhumbuzo Moyo.
Tsholotsho RDC has been operating without a substantive CEO since it parted ways with Mr Themba Moyo early this year.
