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Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
Bulawayo City Council’s multi-million dollar Mahatshula Clinic is fast turning into a white elephant after failing to attract takers to run the health institution which has been lying idle for years.The local authority is now inviting tenders again for the lease of the clinic.

BCC failed to run the clinic since 2000 citing lack of funds and shortage of health personnel.

According to the latest council minutes, BCC flighted three advertisements for leasing the clinic but failed to attract takers on all occasions.

“The Director of Health Services ( Dr Zanele Hwalima) recalled that Mahatshula Clinic has been leased on two occasions following a council resolution on 6 December 2000. The last lease expired on February 13, 2012.

“Invitations to lease the clinic were flighted on July 24, 2013 then again on September 23, 2014 and on February 2, 2015. The closing date for the last advertisement was March 3, 2015. In all instances, there were no takers,” reads the report.

The latest developments come hard on the heels of reports that the local authority is facing acute shortage of nurses. BCC-owned clinics are operating with 134 nurses which translate to 62 percent of the required nursing staff. The council has 19 clinics which need over 300 nurses.

This, according to the report, had prompted the council to selective tender targeting the medical fraternity.

“In view of the above, it was recommended that the tender for lease of Mahatshula Clinic be conducted on a selective tender basis targeting the medical fraternity.

“The prospective tenant shall be expected to offer primary health care services to the community,” says the report.

The clinic was built in 1999 through funding from the World Bank as part of infrastructure development in the suburb. However, opening of the institution was stalled by a shortage of money, nursing staff and equipment.

The council had leased out the clinic to Premier Services Medical Investment (PSMI) for three years since December 2006 but the lease agreement expired in November 2008.

The clinic has been lying idle since then. Other clinics whose operations are straining BCC’s scant financial resources are Pumula South and Lobengula.

At one point the council leased the two clinics but later cancelled the leases due to unexplained reasons.