Greedy and selfishness dominated some community leaders at Chilonga,to the extent that a US $14 000 Feedlot they were enthrusted to lead is now on its knees.
By Blessed Chauke
There is nothing to show at the project that was donated to the community with almost everything to kick start the project.
What remains at the project centre is a dilapidating structure after 7 years of it lying idle.
The project was donated to the community and 2014,in the midst of a seious drought that claimed hundreds of cattle in Chikombedzi and Chilonga.
It was meant to mitigate drought on cattle.Farmers were given an opportunity to also breed their own stock after a donation of a pedigree bull from the Sugar company.
All this went to waste as the project never kicked off.The donated bull has no trace up to now.
Villagers who spoke to this publication said people who were selected to lead the projects are the culprits.Chief John Ben Chilonga also added his voice,saying the leaders of the project had self ego ahead of community development.
The Chief mentioned that those who were on the frontline of the project controlled everything to an extent of excluding community members from day to day activities of the project.
He also mentioned that the projects never started per say but it just struggled before crumpling.
“The one who was selected to be the chairperson of the project started to monopolise everything about the project. He assumed ownership of the projec as if it belonged to him.
The community was elbowed out hence the current situation Chief Chilonga said.
“Everything that we saw there at the feedlot project site including the kraals was provided by Tongaat Hullet.
In 2019 we tried to sell some of the cattle that were fattened at the feedlot but those who were the leaders refused the deal claiming that the cattle buyers were offering little money yet they were offering better prices” Chief Chilonga added.
Chief Chilonga also said that there were some allegations that Tongat Hullet sponsored a bull to the project but no one knows what happened to the bull.
“I also heard that Tongat Hullet sponsored a bull to the project so that they can do cross breeding but no one knows what happened to that bull.
Lowveld Checkpoint contacted one of the community members who was identified as the chairperson during that time.
Elias Vhelemu refused that he was the chairperson despite one village after the other confirming so.
“I am not the one who was the chairperson of that project,” said Vhelemu.
Acting Corporate Affairs and Communications Executive at Tongaat Hulet ,Ushe Chinhuru said he was out of the office for sometime and could not give handy information.
“I am out of the office these days to give the information you need’ Chinhuru said.
