THE High Court has barred two special interest councillors appointed by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo from attending Bulawayo City Council meetings as their appointments are being challenged in courts.
Richard Muponde/Blondie Ndebele
In February, Chombo appointed Gatsha Mazithulela and Siphiwe Ncube as special interest councillors for Bulawayo.
But the appointments were challenged by Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association ward chairman Alick Gumede, who argued that the appointments were a waste of ratepayers’ money as councillors’ term of office were about to end.
Last Thursday, High Court judge Justice Meshack Cheda interdicted Chombo’s appointees pending the outcome of Gumede’s court challenge. “I am inclined to agree that no purpose will be served by these appointments,” Justice Cheda ruled.
“It is too late to make them (appointments).
“The unreasonableness of the 1st respondent’s (Chombo) action raises questions from any person properly applying his mind to the matter.
“It is clear that the council’s term will come to an end before the appointees even understand the business of council and as such cannot be in a position to be of any benefit to the special group for which the appointments are made . . .”
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The latest development came hardly a month after a Bulawayo resident Jack Matshazi blocked another Chombo appointee Fidelis Fengu through a court order arguing that his appointment was unjustified.
Chombo wanted Fengu to be appointed special interest councillor for people with disabilities.
Matshazi argued that council already had two councillors with disabilities who could represent the same interests.
