City flat turned into brothel

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO’S Marvel Court building is probably the dirtiest in the city centre. Council condemned the dilapidated three-storey structure last year for health reasons and its tenants were evicted.The building has since been invaded by sex workers and turned into a dumpsite.

Chronicle has established that the building, situated along Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues, has become popular with prostitutes who now use it for their illicit trade while some tenants clandestinely returned to re-occupy their rooms despite the fact that there is no electricity and water.

A Chronicle news crew was greeted with a putrid smell of human waste, garbage and used condoms as it entered the building while some occupants  were seen cooking with fire on the first and second floors, posing danger to neighbouring buildings.

Due to lack of running water, the occupants are using some of the empty rooms as toilets.

Some fruit and vegetable vendors store their wares in the building during the night, exposing unsuspecting customers to diseases.
Vegetation is growing on the cracked walls and on top of the building while the entire backyard is littered with mounds of stinking refuse.

One of the affected businesspeople whose premises is adjacent to Marvel Court, Moosa Esat, told Chronicle he spends a lot of money repairing his roof gutters blocked by litter thrown onto his roof.

“This is a serious health hazard for our city and should not be tolerated. The occupants are disposing of their refuse on my building which includes used condoms, diapers, food and bottles. The roof on my building is frequently laden with refuse and the gutters are blocked,” said Esat.

“With the onset of the rainy season, my tenants have been inconvenienced by water leaks in the roof due to the dumping of refuse from the people staying illegally at Marvel Court.”

Esat said the neglected building had become an eyesore and complained over the illicit trade taking place there.

“This building is promoting moral degradation of our society. Worse still it is located in a prime area of our city and that is regrettable,” he said.
Esat said he had approached senior city council officials over the matter but nothing was done.

“I wrote to the mayor, the town clerk and invited a health inspector to see what was happening at the building but nothing was done. I understand that the owner of the building might not be in a position to renovate it but I am appealing to the responsible authorities to keep it in a clean and sanitary condition. The illegal tenants need to be removed from the premises,” said the disgruntled businessman.

The owners of the building are believed to be based in South Africa.

Last year, councillors called for investigations into activities of owners of dilapidated and disused buildings in the city following concerns that a majority of such structures were being turned into brothels.

A number of such buildings are believed to be owned by foreigners who deserted the city and opened businesses elsewhere.