By Correspondent
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has been accused of having a hand in the suspicious confusion around the acquisition of an ERP system which has resulted in the suspension of the Council IT boss.
The Council Executive Assistant to the Town Clerk Matthew Marara laid the allegations while presenting before the Harare Commission of Inquiry this week.
Marara said Mafume appeared to be pushing for a company of his choice in a suspicious manner.
This, he said, has led to the suspension of IT boss Samson Madzokere who was opposing Mafume’s move.
Mafume’s Strange Position
“No one at council knows the preference of the Mayor with regards to the ERP that he wants.
“He has called us to many meetings forcing us to take that particular company to do ERP.
“There are minutes and that is why Samson Madzokere is at home because of ERP.
“Not because he answered to a newspaper article,” he said.
Suspension of Madzokere
Madzokere, was the Harare Council IT department boss.
However, he was suspended by Mafume over controversies around the procurement of the new system.
Mafume alleged that Madzokere and the IT department pushed for a new US$51 million ERP system which required Council to pay US$350 000 per year.
The alternative system, which they rejected, mandated Council to pay US$75 000 per year.
Madzokere was also accused of spending US$20 000 per trip on numerous occasions travelling to South Africa to canvas for the US$51 million deal.
However, while the IT boss argued that the trips were funded by the prospective ERP supplier Mafume argued otherwise.
“The bidders provided us with air tickets, accommodation and meals as per our agreement.
“However, each time an employee leaves the country he or she is entitled to out-of-pocket allowances consummate with the grade.
Finger-Pointing
Addressing the 1918th Ordinary Council session Mafume said the trips were funded by Council.
“Right now, the IT person has conspired with everyone in town to lie about the Enterprise Resource Planning.
He said they were receiving anonymous emails stating that they wanted to contract an ERP worth US$51 million.
“We came away from an ERP which was at US$35 000 which got to US$75 000 and we had a dispute.
“We then took SAGE which cost us US$350 000 and never functioned, we cant produce an audit,” he charged.
Meanwhile Madzokere defended the changes.
“US$51 million is for acquiring the system and the reported US$75 000 for the previous system was for annual licenses not entirely buying the system.
Council’s ERP was initially supplied by Quill Associate before its contract was terminated in 2019 over a dispute over US$40 000.
