Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume faced tough questions at a Commission of Inquiry on February 7, 2025, over irregularities in the construction of a luxury student hostel in Belvedere, including suspicious inspection records and failure to obtain proper zoning approval.

Commission evidence leader Tapiwa Fresh Godzi challenged the unusual frequency of site inspections, with six visits recorded within a single month, some just three days apart.

“I have not met the inspector personally. They visit the site where there is a contractor. This is being handled by my wife,” Mafume told the commission, headed by retired High Court Judge Justice Maphios Cheda.

The mayor failed to provide proof of payment for mandatory inspection fees, while council records show no payments were received for the inspections.

The project, linked to South African firm Quill Associates, also lacked required zoning changes from residential to commercial use. Mafume admitted no application was submitted for the conversion, which carries a US$3,000 fee.

Investigation findings suggest Mafume used intermediaries for both the hostel project and a Greendale mansion purchase, possibly to avoid direct scrutiny.

The hostel, intended for Harare Institute of Technology students, has raised concerns about potential kickbacks from Quill Associates, which is connected to the City Council’s ERP project.

“The inspection documents show suspicious patterns, including signatures that appear to be made by the same pen,” said a commission source who requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation.

The revelations highlight growing concerns about corruption within Harare’s local government administration, as multiple regulatory breaches emerge from the inquiry.