Call to act on vacant buildings

Nduduzo Tshuma Senior Political Reporter
ZANU PF Bulawayo City Centre district has called for urgent action on the issue of unoccupied buildings abandoned by their white owners. The party’s recently elected city centre district chairperson, Cde Joe Chiyangwa, said some of the unoccupied buildings were abandoned by their white owners after independence in 1980 as they did not want to be ruled by blacks.

He said the vacant buildings needed to be opened and accessed by black people who wanted to venture into business.

“There’s also a problem of estate agents charging people exorbitant prices. Some are managing properties whose owners died a long time ago but arent remitting the money. Such issues need to be investigated,” said Cde Chiyangwa.

He said estate agents were also frustrating local businesspeople by charging exorbitant fees in a bid to push them out of the buildings.

Cde Chiyangwa also said they would soon meet the Bulawayo City Council to discuss a number of by-laws the ruling party district felt were outdated.

“The First Lady spoke against the harassment of vendors when she addressed a rally at Amazulu Sports Club but the police continue to arrest them. We want to dialogue with council so that they revisit some of their old colonial by-laws. People should be allowed to sell their wares freely,” said Chiyangwa.

“Vendors form a significant population in the city of Bulawayo. The industries have been closing over the years and the only source of income is through vending. There’s no other thing they can do.”

He also said some sectors needed to be reserved for locals in line with the country’s empowerment legislation, but that was not being followed especially by Nigerians and Indians.

“We’ve Indian and Nigerian nationals who come here and compete with locals in selling wares like television sets and things like that. We feel relevant authorities need to protect our locals from such practices. Such businesses should be reserved for the locals,” added Cde Chiyangwa.

“We aren’t chasing them away but we’re saying they should venture into industries and not businesses that can be easily done by the local people.”

He said the party was working towards winning votes in Bulawayo in the next elections pencilled for 2018.