adminLoveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
UMGUZA Rural District Council (RDC) has resumed demolishing Reigate compound houses on the outskirts of Bulawayo in violation of a High Court ruling. Those affected said the local authority decided to turn Reigate area into a residential suburb, two years after the High Court stopped the demolitions.
Tenants were allocated the houses on a lease to buy agreement about 12 years ago. This was on land on which the local authority had started selling stands.
Ten houses, two toilets and water supplies were disconnected last week as the RDC allegedly claimed that a High Court ruling stopping the demolitions was no longer valid.
Steven Ndlovu, a resident, said they were now living in fear as the council’s move could see about 300 hundred residents stranded if the demolitions are not stopped.
“We’re living under threats from the council and we do not know what to do since we have nowhere else to go. Others who had their houses destroyed have since moved to Ngozi Mine. An employee only known to us as “Dumie” is usually sent by the council to carry out these demolitions and whenever we produce court papers he declares them invalid,” Ndlovu said.
He added that rain water has become their only reliable source of water as council supplies were unpredictable.
Ndlovu said they have gone for four days without water.
Tellus Maseko bemoaned the decision to destroy homes during the rainy season.
“It’s the rainy season and everyone needs a roof to hide under,” he said.
Several residents swore that they were not going to allow the local authority to evict them and accused the local authority of being corrupt. The councillor for the area, Happiness Sibanda, declined to comment on the issue and referred Chronicle to Umguza RDC chief executive officer Collen Moyo who was said to be out of office.
Online Reporter