BPRA Engages BCC on Alleged Hawkflight Corruption

Press Release

Date:              12 April 2013

Contact:         Emmanuel Ndlovu

                        Acting Coordinator

                        Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)

BPRA Engages BCC on Alleged Hawkflight Corruption

BULAWAYO Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) is seeking answers from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) after residents from the Pelandaba West area recently constructed by Hawkflight Construction were given parallel water bills by the construction company, raising furore from the residents who accused the company of corruption. In a letter written to the Town Clerk, Middleton Nyoni and copied to the Directors of Finance and Housing, Kimpton Ndimande and Isaiah Magagula respectively, the association seeks to know if it is true that residents from Pelandaba West are billed under a bulk meter and why they are receiving water bills from Hawkflight Construction when water provision is a mandate of BCC. According to the letter, the anomaly emerged during a consultative meeting organised by BPRA on Saturday 23 March 2013. Residents speaking during the meeting reportedly accused Hawkflight Construction of working in cahoots with corrupt elements in the local authority to fleece the residents of their hard earned cash. This was after the residents received uniform letters from Hawkflight Construction instructing them to pay amounts of $324.95 or have their water disconnected.

Part of the letter that the residents received reads: “Please note that your water is billed under a bulk meter and it has remained unpaid since you took occupation of your house. You are now required to settle your portion in the amount of $324.95 to avoid disconnection. This amount is payable to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), and the account number is 540159900.”

Residents however rubbished the assertions by Hawkflight Construction, arguing that they all had individual meters in their homesteads and received utility bills from BCC. They further indicated that the fact that they were expected to pay the same amount of water was suspicious as it was impossible for all families to use the same amount of water.

In the letter to BCC, BPRA requests an investigation by the local authority to unravel any corruption that may be taking place with regards to the operations of Hawkflight construction.

Signed

.........................................................

Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu

Acting Coordinator

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)