By Patience Gondo
THE Municipality of Beitbridge has called in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to investigate a senior engineer following the disappearance of council owned steel pipes.
The move comes after reports that the pipes, originally installed to manage sewage at Wamlala Stream were diverted to a private construction site.
The engineer at the center of the probe identified as Engineer TK, is accused of using public property to fulfill a private contract.
The galvanized steel pipes were removed on March 24 2026, after being damaged by heavy rains.
While the pipes were supposed to be taken to the council workshop for safekeeping, allegations surfaced they were moved to a ZimBorders pipeline project where the engineer was working privately.
Sources claim the engineer used municipal workers to install the pipes and allegedly paid them with days off instead of money to keep the task unofficial.
The removal of the pipes has left the community in danger. Residents report that raw sewage is now flowing directly into the Wamlala Stream, creating a serious health hazard for those living nearby.
In an official statement released on Friday ,Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola confirmed the local authority has reported the matter to the police to set the record straight.
“Management has since received a report of missing pipes and is taking steps to establish their whereabouts,” said Ramakgapola.
“The matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for a formal record and investigation.”
Ramakgapola also dismissed rumors of a cover-up, stating that the council has a zero tolerance policy toward corruption.
He said a Loss Control Team is currently checking logs and interviewing staff to find out how the assets were moved.
The ZRP is now working to determine if the pipes were stolen or if there was a breakdown in official procedures.
“Parallel internal investigations are currently underway to ensure full accountability,” Ramakgapola said.
He said the public to wait for official updates and avoid spreading unverified news that could cause unnecessary alarm.
Commanding Officer District Chief Supritendent Mesuli Ncube when contacted for comment said he was out of office at the time of enquiry.