adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO residents whose stands have remained undeveloped for the past 10 years risk losing them following a council resolution to repossess the stands. According to the latest minutes of the public works committee, the local authority says stand owners should develop them or lose them. The public works committee said while it appreciates difficulties brought about by the country’s economic challenges, there is need for beneficiaries of residential or business stands to develop them within ten years.
The Chronicle could not immediately obtain the number of stands that have remained undeveloped for more than 10 years.
“We have agreed to approach government and individuals owning portions of land with a view of repossessing them for business development. The need to repossess undeveloped stands with some having been designated for residential purposes remains paramount as we want to sell to potential developers, especially the land in the Central Business District (CBD),” reads part of the minutes.
The municipality has since asked the Town Clerk Adolf Gusha to engage the government to endorse the move to repossess undeveloped stands in the CBD.
Masvingo Mayor Councillor Hubert Fidze said some people were holding onto their pieces of land in the city for speculative purposes and this was a cause for concern.
“Some stands have been lying idle for long. We’re repossessing stands which haven’t been developed for the past 10 or more years,” said Clr Fidze.
Bulawayo City Council has also threatened to repossess all undeveloped stands.
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