CHINHOYI Municipality has resolved to engage police to have directors of a company contracted to install solar-powered traffic lights in Chinhoyi arrested after the firm allegedly breached a contract.
Report by Own Correspondent
Best Wave, a Harare-based electrical engineering firm, was reportedly paid $22 000 to install traffic lights, but the devices failed to work at one of the two intersections they were installed.
Councillors now accuse the contractors of “holding council to ransom” by demanding money for “incomplete and shoddy” work.
Some of the councillors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, yesterday said Best Wave was paid 80% of tender value before starting work and was later paid the remainder to complete the job.
Traffic lights were to be installed at the Edgars intersection and the Harare/Chirundu and Chegutu roads junctions.
Acting finance director Zephaniah Chirarwe told a recent full council meeting the contractor was seeking to review upward the tender price to $34 000 because of council’s late payment.
Cllr Blackmore Nyangairo had urged both parties to stick to their contractual obligations, noting the contractor had done a shoddy job, as the traffic lights were not functioning during electricity outages.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Nyangairo said council should not be threatened by the contractor and advised the local authority to engage services of lawyers over the matter. The decision to sue the contractor was taken last week.
