Fake meeting call disrupts council

Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Hundreds of Nyatsime residents on Tuesday morning brought business at  Chitungwiza head office to a halt after they responded to a fake meeting that was allegedly called by one of the council’s employees.

The meeting was supposed to deal with the regularisation of stands.

Over 15 000 stand owners in Nyatsime housing development with offer letters from council have failed to occupy their stands after land barons took over the land.

The matter has dragged on for over eight years.

Residents who spoke to The Herald on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said they were invited for a “formal meeting” to be updated on the regularisation process.

“This council employee came to address a meeting in Nyatsime on Saturday. He told us that he had been sent by town clerk to tell us that council was now ready to regularise our stands and that we should come for a meeting here at the head office today.

“Some were also asked to bring money to facilitate the regularisation. What surprised us was that the council management told us that they were not aware of such a meeting and we should disperse,” said one of the residents.

People were angered by that response and started making noise, demanding to know what council was planning to do since they were living in deplorable conditions.

“It has been over 10 years since some of us bought stands in Nyatsime and we were never able to reside there because the place was invaded. This council has taken too long to resolve this matter and we want to know when we are going to be reallocated our stands,” said one resident.

“Other people now staying there bought the same stands again from land barons. It has become a war zone where politicians are fighting to control land in Nyatsime. These politicians are also doing their best to make sure that regularisation does not take place as they are benefiting from the confusion,” said another resident from Nyatsime.

To resolve the dispute six representatives of residents had a closed door meeting with Acting town clerk Mrs Evangelista Machona, Housing director Mrs Hazel Sithole and Works director engineer David Duma.

Council officials who attended the meeting declined to comment on the matter saying they had not been authorised to do so by the town clerk Dr George Makunde.