Hwange, (New Ziana) – The Hwange Local Board has suspended two of its top officials over suspected flouting of procurement laws, and failure to produce audited accounts.

The board is the local authority for the mining town and surrounding areas.

Board chairperson, Nqobile Mabhena said finance director Innocent Tshuma, and administrator Mhlupheki Mlilo had been suspended, and were due to appear before an independent disciplinary hearing.

Tshuma is accused of failing to have the local authority’s books of accounts audited since 2014, a gross violation of the country’s good corporate governance tenets.

The Auditor General’s office has repeatedly blasted local authorities for failing to have their books audited, in most cases to hide corrupt activities.

On the other hand, Mlilo is accused of flouting procurement laws, another of good corporate governance tenets the Second Republic is insistent on.

“The finance director allegedly failed to have books audited since 2014 while the administrator contravened procurement regulations. I can’t say much at the moment,” Mabhena said.

“The independent legal consultant is going to help the council to reach a decision, there is no witch hunting because at the end of the day it’s the council who will make the final decision,” he added.
New Ziana