War vets, residents kick Victoria Falls town clerk out of office

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Victoria Falls town clerk Ronnie Dube was on Tuesday locked out of his office by angry war veterans and residents who accuse him of corruption and mismanagement of the local authority’s finances.

Dube, who has been under fire over a US$80 000 car loan he got from council, allegedly ignored his suspension by mayor Somvelo Dhlamini last month and has been reporting for work.

Ronnie Dube

Dhlamini told VicFallsLive that a group of about 15 people, who included war veterans and members of the Hwange District Residents Association, stormed the town clerk’s office at around 4PM and instructed him to vacate his office to pave way for investigations into the allegations raised against him.

“We did not know that they were coming,” the mayor said.

“I just received a call from them when they were already there and they invited me to his office,” Dhlamini said.

“It was around 4PM and they forcefully ejected him saying they were not happy with the level of corruption and mismanagement, which has resulted in poor service delivery.

“They told him that investigations were directed towards corrupt handshakes that he has received and the car that he recently bought.

“They exchanged words where he questioned the source of their allegations, but they eventually took him out and locked his office before putting a key blocker.”

Dhlamini said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) was already on the ground to investigate the allegations.

“A ZACC team from Bulawayo is already here to investigate.

“So for now the chamber secretary (Kholwani Mangena) is the acting town clerk,” he added.

Dube did not answer his mobile phone when attempts were made to get his comment.

Victoria Falls ratepayers have been boycotting the city council’s 2023 budget consultation meetings demanding answers over various allegations of corruption.

Residents boycotted meetings held last month and demanded  to be first addressed by council over the alleged irregular sale of commercial stands and the US$89 000 loan that was given to Dube to buy a car, a luxury handshake car for the mayor and leasing of breweries.

The Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association has since written a letter to relevant government ministries, police and parliament asking them to investigate the allegations.

They said they had proof of corrupt deals by the town clerk and councillors.

Victoria Falls residents, mainly in the high density suburbs, have endured over six months without water and the perennial shortage has been worsening since August.

Residents argue that poor service delivery is caused by mismanagement, although council recently told VicFallsLive that the issue of water shortages had to do with rising demand during the summer season.