BY NIZBERT MOYO
THE Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare was yesterday forced to seek for an alternative venue for a public hearing on the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill in Tsholotsho after the proposed site was gutted by fire.
A mysterious fire razed down a Better Schools programs hall, the initial venue of the hearing, forcing the committee to settle for Tsholotsho rural district (RDC) council premises.
The fire started the previous day, and by yesterday, the building was still in smoke.
Tsholotsho RDC Chief Executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda said the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault but police said they were waiting for forensic investigations.
Meanwhile, a number of Tsholotsho villagers said they were opposed to the Bill.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) representative Phillip Dube said the Bill, if passed in its current form, will expose vulnerable groups to extreme poverty.
“ If the bill becomes law, it has the potential of complicating the charity and humanitarian services the Church provides through their health, education and para Church organisations that are currently registered as trusts, ” said Dube.
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The Bill which seeks to regulate the operations of NGOs and Trust was gazetted in November last year. Government has defended the Bill as necessary to stop NGO’s from pushing a regime change agenda.
