By A Correspondent- Government officials in Bulawayo have expressed concern over the marginalisation of local contractors when it comes to the awarding of contracts that involve menial jobs in the Matabeleland region.

This comes after some people in Harare received a contract to clear the bushes along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway road, defying a policy that locals must be the ones contracted to do such jobs.

This was revealed by former war veterans minister and Zanu- PF Politburo member, Tshinga Dube, at a press conference with Bulawayo journalists on the occasion of Africa Day, Tuesday, CITE reports. Said, Dube:

Just four days ago, Cde Judith Ncube, the minister phoned me and said some people received a contract in Harare to clear the bushes along the roads, the Bulawayo to Victoria Falls and they are coming here.

I was in Harare myself. They are coming, carrying their people, with choppers to come and cut trees here.

Dube said he advised the provincial and devolution minister to put a stop to that as that defied the devolution policy. He said:

I said, ‘No, no but you are a minister of devolution yourself, so you stop them and say no. You have people here who can do that.’

I don’t think you need to go for training just to chop wood anyone can chop wood.

Let people there discuss with people in Matabeleland North because that’s where they live.

Hire boys along the road just from Bulawayo and then they can chop wood

Dube also criticised some people who committed offences and hid behind the president’s name.

-Online