Councillor, resident chair row spills into court

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WARD 13 councillor Lot Siziba and the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (Bpra) Ward 13 chairman Aleck Gumede are embroiled in a bitter power wrangle, which has seen the councillor taking the latter to court seeking a peace order against him.

WARD 13 councillor Lot Siziba and the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (Bpra) Ward 13 chairman Aleck Gumede are embroiled in a bitter power wrangle, which has seen the councillor taking the latter to court seeking a peace order against him.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

Gumede on Thursday appeared before West Commonage magistrate Tancy Chipumha Dube after Siziba, for the second time, filed a peace order application against him.

Both Siziba and Gumede belong to the MDC-T.

The magistrate remanded the matter to January 15.

On December 12 2014, Siziba filed the peace order against Gumede and his deputy in Bpra, Elizabeth Mabhena, claiming they were interfering with his council work and were threatening to kill him.

“These two disturb my peace by interfering with my meetings with residents at my house,” the affidavit reads.

“Gumede insults me.

“He interferes with my duties as witnessed by his removal of a red cloth symbolising a mourning gathering at house number 59712/1 in Iminyela.”

Ward 13 comprises Mabuthweni, Iminyela, Pelandaba, part of Njube and Kelvin South.

Siziba’s application for the peace order against Gumede comes after the same magistrate dismissed a similar application last November.

Court papers show that on December 4 2013, Gumede was locked up in police cells for one week when Siziba’s ally Jabulani Nyathi filed a peace order application.

Western Commonage magistrate Temba Chimiso ruled in Nyathi’s favour, as he ordered that Gumede must not interfere with Nyathi and council operations for the next 12 months.

He ruled that Gumede must not, within that period, be seen threatening or disturbing Nyathi and Siziba’s operations.

Just before the date of expiry of the peace order issued in favour of Nyathi, Siziba filed another one, in what is believed to be a way of keeping Gumede away from disturbing the councillor’s operations.