By Ziyah News Chief Reporter
Beitbridge – Beitbridge’s Ward 5 Councillor, Mary Ngorima, has distanced herself from the ongoing controversy in the SDP suburb, which led to the resignation of long-serving Residents’ Committee Chairperson, Abel Hindi.
In a no-holds-barred interview with Ziyah News Network, Councillor Ngorima refuted the notion that she disbanded the existing residents’ committee, insisting that she has no business in what residents’ groupings and associations do, but is only concerned with the development of the entire Ward 5, under which the SDP falls.
“I have no right whatsoever to dissolve a residents’ committee. What I desire is to work with the people, to work with that committee too. As a councillor, my work is different from the chairperson of a residents’ association. I cannot compete with, nor fight, it. I would want that committee to continue working the same way it has been doing; nothing must stop as long as it’s bringing development,” said Councillor Ngorima.
She also stated that, contrary to assertions in the public domain, she does not harbor any ill feelings against Hindi but would actually want to work with him and his committee as long as it is about bringing development to the area.
“I called a meeting and, at that meeting, I inquired if the residents have a ward development committee in place, for which they said no, indicating they have a residents’ committee led by Hindi. As a councillor, my ward is big, and I do not have eyes everywhere; that is when I introduced the idea of a ward development committee. These are being established across the ward in various sections, as the needs of my ward areas are not the same, hence segmenting the development committees to specific areas of the ward.”
“The said SDP development committee was chosen by the people who came to the meeting, not by the councillor, and has representatives from all five phases of SDP to consolidate the area’s challenges. I want to put on record that the committee I helped set up has nothing to do with the one for residents; they are not conflicted but should actually be complementary,” she said.
The Councillor said she was shocked to hear that the Chairman had resigned because of the councillor’s development committee, which, by the way, had not started any work, reiterating that she is open to working with Hindi’s committee.
“I am hoping to meet with Hindi and his committee so that the misunderstanding can be ironed out, and I explain to them that the ward development committee is in no way designed to hinder or undermine the work they have been doing. All I want is development for the area, and if that means even bringing the two committees together, so be it.”
She also took the opportunity to update SDP residents that the sewer system works are on course, with the laying of the tank line expected to be finished by December.
Turning to the alleged insult she hurled at residents, the Councillor said her statement was lost in translation as she only meant with or without the committee she would not stop with pursuing the development of the area including the sewer project which will give leeway for water connection.