In a shocking turn of events, Bulawayo councillors have traded their focus on service delivery for a fight over travel slots and hotel perks. The drama unfolded during a heated full council meeting, where councillors went head-to-head over who gets to attend conferences and soak up the benefits.

The Khumbul’ekhaya Investment Conference in Harare sparked the controversy, with Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo demanding that members of the General Purposes Committee get a slice of the travel pie. Councillor Royini Sekete chimed in, arguing that it’s unfair for one committee to hog all the benefits while others are left out in the cold.

Some councillors pulled out all the stops to secure their spots. Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu even proposed replacing Mayor David Coltart at the Harare conference, while Councillor Dumisani Netha insisted on attending to present the city’s Local Subject Plan. The lobbying continued for the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Mutare, with Councillor Sekete pushing for others to get a chance.

In the end, the council caved to pressure, expanding the Harare delegation to include Councillors Netha, Khumalo, Sekete, and Ndlovu. For the Mutare expo, eight officers from the Exhibition Committee and members of the Business and Investment Committee will attend, along with Councillors Muziwakibo Masuku, Lazarus Mphadwe, and Greater Gumede, with all expenses paid by the council.

It seems some councillors have found a new favourite committee – the one that travels. With the travel tug-of-war intensifying, one can’t help but wonder: will service delivery take a backseat to travel perks?

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