The Harare City Council is on the brink of abolishing its human resources department, and honestly, it’s about time. Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume is fed up with the department’s persistent failures, and who can blame him? The council’s inability to meet basic operational needs is a joke.

The city’s infrastructure is crumbling, with unpaved roads causing inconvenience to residents. And it’s not like the council hasn’t had the funds to fix it. The mayor pointed out that funds allocated from City Parking and Zinara have been sitting idle, and they haven’t bought tar for road repairs since last year. Talk about priorities.

The procurement department’s failure to acquire necessary supplies is a classic example of the council’s inefficiency. The mayor’s vehicle and fuel are just a couple of things that are still pending due to procurement delays. It’s like they’re stuck in bureaucratic limbo.

Cllr Mafume’s remarks reflect a growing sentiment that the current structure is unsustainable. The council needs a serious overhaul, and fast. A Commission of Inquiry was even constituted to look into the council’s shenanigans, and the report wasn’t pretty. Justice Cheda said Harare City has been run by “unscrupulous individuals” with their “dirty hands in the cookie jar.” Yikes.

As the council grapples with these issues, the future of the HR department remains uncertain. Will they abolish it, or will they find a way to fix it? One thing’s for sure: something needs to change. The residents of Harare deserve better than a dysfunctional city council. end//..