THE fact that Bulawayo city councillors used most of their time during this month’s full council meeting discussing night clubs, says something about the calibre of our city fathers.
Some councillors on Wednesday were calling for the banning of night clubs in the city centre saying they were a nuisance.
The debate was sparked by an application by Brumat (Pvt) Ltd, which runs Horizon Restaurant, to establish a night club.
According to a council report, the application has been advertised and adjacent property owners, including banks, did not object.
Horizon is one of the few decent leisure spots in the city and deserves to be treated with respect by councillors.
The spot is currently licensed to run a liquor restaurant and the law-abiding investors had done the right thing to apply to council to vary their licence.
Some businesses that operate in the liquor sector do not bother and simply run like shebeens.
Councillors should have seized this to encourage other businesses to follow suit and comply with municipal regulations.
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Instead, the city fathers elected to dwell on trivial issues such as the suitability of night spots in the city centre.
Conditions for such licences are that owners of adjacent properties have to be notified and their approval sought.
The application has to satisfy council’s other requirements and it appears in this case the Horizon request had passed the test.
Bulawayo is a city that is desperate for investment and the current crop of councillors should demonstrate in their deliberations that they are acutely aware of these pressing issues.
The kind of debate they had at the council chambers on Wednesday evening would raise a lot of questions about their aptitude.
Bulawayo has many problems crying out for the attention of the councillors and establishment of night clubs in the city centre certainly does not deserve to consume most of their time.
It is imperative for the city fathers to be seen to be in touch with Bulawayo’s urgent needs and aspirations. From Wednesday’s debate it does not look like they are in touch.
