Victoria Falls City Council mayor Somvelo Dlamini last week told a full council meeting that the housing waiting list should be scrapped.
The city has reportedly exhausted all of its land for both residential and commercial purposes while there are over 18 000 applications for residential stands.
Dlamini’s call comes at a time when the council has announced that it will avail about 500 stands in both the high and medium-density suburbs. <a href="https://cite.org.zw/vic-falls-mayor-calls-for-scrapping-of-housing-waiting-list/">CITE</a> quoted Dlamini as saying:
<blockquote>
The report that we got from the council is that they are above 18 000 and this week we had 147 applications, so do we mean to say we just leave it open, people apply or it will cause a scenario where some will say I have been paying since 2001 and nothing has happened. What measures are we putting in place as a council to solve this?
</blockquote>
In response to Dlamini’s suggestion, the chairperson of the housing department councillor Nkayiso Sibindi said there was nothing much council could do. He said:
<blockquote>
You cannot stop someone from applying, it’s the same as applying for a job, curriculum vitae can be submitted in large quantities, but the one that we want, we pick and offer employment, so there is nothing that we can do about that. You are expected to give a professional answer.
</blockquote>
Deputy Mayor Patricia Mwale suggested that there was a need for the council to craft a master plan that will allow the city to acquire more land.
The Town Clerk Ronnie Dube said the council officers were going to apply their minds on the matter “and see how best we can resolve this issue.”
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Victoria Falls Mayor Wants Housing Waiting List Scrapped

Victoria Falls councillors have voted against the suspension of Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube and ordered his reinstatement with immediate effect saying the suspension was unprocedural.
Mr Dube had been suspended by the city mayor, Mr Somvelo Dlamini, last Wednesday accusing him of “corruption, gross incompetence, abuse of office and causing the local authority to lose revenue”.
The suspension was with immediate effect and without pay or benefits but Mr Dube remained in office executing his duties as usual.
Councillors convened a special council meeting Monday where they sought an explanation from the Mayor for the basis of the allegations and making a unanimous decision without following due procedure.
Chief Whip for Victoria Falls councillors, Cllr Joseph Dzangai, confirmed the latest developments. He said:
<blockquote>A motion was moved seeking to understand from the Mayor why we as councillors heard about the suspension through the media yet the Urban Councils Act says council should be notified first on anything.
We sought response and he briefed us that there are investigations going on against the Town Clerk. We asked for the basis for the allegations, which he could not give and then we resolved that the suspension is null and void.</blockquote>
The Mayor, Cllr Dlamini could not readily comment on the issue saying the issues that were resolved are confidential for now and “I can only comment tomorrow.”
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>; <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/just-in-vic-falls-councillors-reverse-town-clerk-suspension/">Chronicle</a>

Victoria Falls' Councillors Reverse Town Clerk Suspension

Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission yesterday arrested<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Victoria_Falls"> Victoria Falls</a> mayor Somvelo Dhlamini on allegations of engaging in illicit land deals and abuse of office, ZBC reports.
The Vic Falls ward 9 <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/MDC_Alliance">MDC Alliance</a> councillor is being investigated for allegedly abusing his office by selling commercial stands through corruption according to the publication.
He was taken and detained at Vic Falls police station. <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/ZACC">ZACC</a> commissioner John Makamure,  when contacted for comment,  said he will comment on the issue tomorrow after getting all the case details.
More: <a href="https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/victoria-falls-mayor-arrested-on-graft-charges/">ZBC </a>

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