Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has revealed staggering financial losses at the Harare City Council, citing the absence of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system as a key factor behind widespread mismanagement and corruption.
Speaking before the five-member commission of inquiry led by retired High Court Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, Mafume detailed how the lack of financial oversight has led to losses estimated at $250 million since 2019.
“Since 2019, there have been no audits because of the absence of an ERP system. The documented loss stands at US$200 million, but based on estimates, the actual figure is closer to $250 million. Millions have been lost through duplicate payments, revenue leakages, and erased debts,” Mafume said.
The mayor accused senior executives within the council of deliberately maintaining financial loopholes to enable theft and mismanagement.
“The executives have created a system where financial loopholes exist, allowing theft and mismanagement to continue unchecked. Without an ERP, we are effectively running a city in the dark, and there is no way to track where the money goes,” he added.
Harare’s financial crisis has long been a point of contention, with residents frequently protesting against poor service delivery, water shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure.
The lack of an ERP system has meant that the city’s revenue streams remain opaque, making accountability difficult.
Mafume defended his decision to suspend Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango in an attempt to address governance failures but admitted that deeper structural problems remain.
“I was able to suspend the Town Clerk because the law allows it, but the rest of the executives must be dealt with by their superiors. They have manipulated the system to shield themselves from accountability,” he said.
The ongoing commission of inquiry, which was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is tasked with investigating allegations of corruption, governance failures, and financial mismanagement within the council.
