One-on-one with a CAT member

After an expanded zone meeting recently held at the Small City Hall, ZDDT’s Correspondent, briefly spoke to a Ward 16 Community Action Team (CAT) member, Mr Denis Gwabalanda Mathe (DM). Mathe is pictured outside Bulawayo’s City Hall.

Below are some of the excerpts from their conversation.

MT (Mandla Tshuma): As we begin our conversation this morning, may I kindly ask you to tell us a little about yourself.

DM: I am Dennis Gwabalanda Mathe. I was born in Sipepa, Tsholotsho. In Bulawayo, coincidentally, I stay in Gwabalanda. I am a community leader under the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association.

We were the first ZDDT CAT members when the concept was introduced. Lucky enough we were given trees to plant in our ward; about 100 trees, I still remember.

MT: Looking at today’s expanded zone meeting, what would you say you have learnt?

DM: In today’s meeting we learnt that people from different wards have different ideas.

They operate differently and the way they work with their councillors in their different wards also differs.

What I also realised was that we had councillors of different ages. We learnt a lot today. This has taught councillors something that I did not know as well that it is possible.

For example Luveve residents formed their WhatsApp chat group. Whenever, they want to call for a meeting, they just post the message in the group.Work then becomes much easier. It also looks like they work so well with their councillor.

MT: Thank you for your time.

DM: You are welcome.