THE Harare City Council (HCC) renovation and beautification programme is in shambles, with the local authority’s procurement department being accused of sabotaging preparations for the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State and Government Summit.
This emerged during a special full council meeting in the capital yesterday, where councillors took turns to blast the procurement department for failing to approve the acquisition of important equipment used in facelifting the capital in Harare, ahead of the summit.
The Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit will be held on August 17 and 18 in Harare.
Chairperson of the subcommittee on Town House renovations and beautification councillor Jane Bingari accused the procurement department of not expediting the purchase of important equipment for the programme.
“So far, the team at the procurement department does not want any progress. They want things which they only benefit from. They don’t want to work at all,” she said.
Councillor Denford Ngadziore said they were having challenges with the procurement department.
“It is very true that the procurement department is only serious on issues they are benefiting from. I do not want to raise alarm, but they are not serious and we need to be serious on this department,” he said.
Human resources chairperson George Mujajati said councillors had noted the incompetence in the procurement department.
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“This is a national sabotage and we have observed sabotage and incompetence and we need to sit down and decide on the way forward,” he said.
However, in an interview with NewsDay after the meeting, mayor Jacob Mafume said preparations for the Sadc summit were progressing well.
“We are going on with preparations in line with Sadc beautification programme and beyond. We are almost ready to host the summit, but we need now to work day and night,” he said.
Mafume said they had improved markings on roads and installed streetlights, while revamping traffic lights and improving security at recreational facilities and parks.
The Town House is expected to be renovated, but no work has started at the moment, a few days before the summit.
