In a shocking turn of events, the recently elected Mayor of Bulawayo, David Coltart, once hailed as a champion of development and an anti-corruption crusader, is now facing damning allegations of bribery and collusion with the South African-based McCormick Property Development Company. This explosive revelation comes to light as evidence points to Coltart’s involvement in a shady deal that threatens the integrity of the city’s flagship project, the Egodini Mall.
Coltart’s ties to the McCormick Property Development Company, a stakeholder in the troubled Egodini Mall development project, have raised serious concerns about the mayor’s commitment to transparency and ethical governance. Sources within the City Council reveal that Coltart received a hefty bribe disguised as a gift for his role in extending the contract of Terracotta Trading, the South African company spearheading the Egodini Mall development.
Terracotta Trading, awarded the tender to transform the Egodini Taxi rank into a world-class mall with a taxi rank component valued at US$60 million in 2012, faced imminent cancellation of the contract due to missed deadlines. However, two days before embarking on his anniversary celebration in Europe, Coltart allegedly convened a clandestine meeting with McCormick Property Development in Bulawayo, a family-owned business with connections to Coltart’s own family.
During this secret meeting, sources within the City Council Management indicate that Coltart, alongside Town Clerk Chris Dube and recalled Deputy Mayor Donaldson Mabutho, assured McCormick Property Development that he would override the Council Management’s decision to cancel Terracotta Trading’s tender and extend the contract’s duration. In exchange for this assurance, Coltart reportedly accepted a R75,000 bribe, cunningly disguised as a gift for his recent mayoral victory.
Disturbingly, it is alleged that Coltart failed to share the bribe with Deputy Mayor Mabutho, keeping the money for himself. Evidence of this clandestine exchange has allegedly been witnessed by sources who observed Coltart using his Twitter account to shower Terracotta Trading with free publicity, ostensibly promoting the upgrades made on the Egodini Mall.
A senior staffer in the Council Engineering department further disclosed that instead of adhering to the original tender bid, Terracotta Trading has deviated from the plan, creating substandard structures resembling ancient sheds suitable only for vegetable vendors. This stark departure from the promised world-class parking mall raises serious questions about the company’s integrity and its compliance with contractual obligations.
As this scandal continues to unravel, the residents of Bulawayo are left to grapple with the unsettling reality that their elected leader may have compromised the city’s future for personal gain. The public demands a thorough investigation into these allegations, and if proven true, swift and decisive action against Mayor David Coltart and all those involved in this egregious betrayal of public trust.
