THE commission of inquiry set up to look into the affairs of Harare City Council from 2017 to date has flagged chaos, lawlessness and abuse of authority at Town House, NewsDay can report.
The commission is investigating financial management systems and audit compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and financial management of revenue generated through special vehicle companies and other out-sourced arrangements.
The commission heard that the council acting human capital director was poisoned twice at Town House.
The commission’s evidence leader, Tabani Mpofu, told the acting human capital director Bozman Matengarufu that council was “characterised by chaos and lawlessness, abuse of authority”.
Matengarufu said: “Yes, you can describe it like that, but myself, I say it’s a toxic environment.”
Mpofu also indicated that council violated its own resolutions by having workers reporting for duty despite that they have cases pending at the courts.
In response, Matengarufu confirmed that nothing was being done to individuals with pending cases.
“When you want to do the right thing, you are penalised for doing the right thing, or you are just ignored. Like I have returned to the temple, I have returned to nobody,” he said.
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While Mpofu told the commission that several people had died of poisoning at council, Matengarufu confirmed the incidents, adding that council was yet to prove the causes of death.
“But I am saying the perception is that a few employees have actually been murdered through poisoning. It is true,” Matengarufu said.
“Now that we have a commission that can unveil or bring out all the shenanigans that happened before, obviously you need wisdom.
“The commission will then give recommendations that will help this organisation to start moving on.”
Meanwhile, Matengarufu said he became weak in his role because he wrote to the town clerk giving advice on (suspended human capital director Mathew) Marara and he was shown the letter.
“He did not say anything, but you know, as my boss, the moment he said: ‘I saw what you wrote to the town clerk, you know, maybe that is where I was coming from’, I then became so weak.
“I thought maybe in a week, in two weeks’ time, they will be dealt with, but nothing happened at all, until recently when I was reappointed.
“I mean, when the commission was appointed, that’s why I was saying yesterday, (it becomes very difficult) for me now to execute my duty 100%, given what was now happening and nothing was happening to those I thought were not doing the correct thing.”
Marara admitted to the commission that his position was created illegally.
He is being accused of allegedly creating a Grade 1(b) position under a job evaluation exercise he was in charge of and he was not interviewed.
The position is equivalent to that of the town clerk and has seen Marara receiving luxurious benefits, including a top-of-the-range vehicle.
