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Herald Reporter
Harare City Council has suspended four officials over alleged corruption involving the illegal sale of stands, irregularities in approval of plans and producing fraudulent layout plans, among other charges.

Corruption levels at the local authority have reached alarming levels as employees are in the habit of demanding kick-backs, depriving the city of sizeable revenue inflows.

The officials are Mr Tonderai Mukora from the survey section, Mr Tapiwa Gona (public lighting) and Mr Roy Nyabvure (architect’s division) and a fourth official who is yet to receive his letter.

In a letter of suspension, works director Engineer Isiah Zvenyika Chawatama said allegations against Mr Nyabvure are that he approved building plans on land that had not been sanctioned by council.

“You approved plan number EX1198 on March 21 2019 for a proposed toilet block on stand number 40699 S.T.L. Mbare Township in contravention of standing council resolutions to stop all developments on the above property, pending the outcome of an audit investigation on the same property.

“It is also alleged that you approved plan number EX1369 on July 9 of the proposed cloakroom on the same property in total disregard of council standing resolutions,” he said.

Eng  Chawatama said in both instances Mr Nyabvure allegedly approved plans without the applicant submitting a survey diagram as required by council standard operating procedures on plan approval process.

He said Messrs Gona and Mukora were allegedly implicated in the illegal sale of council stands in Kuwadzana suburb.

Mr Mukora is also being implicated in the illegal sale of council stands in the same area, identifying open spaces and producing fraudulent layout plans.