Hlalani Kuhle stakeholders gather data on stands

Although the chairman of the Cowdray Park Hlalani Kuhle Project, Lieutenant-Colonel Thabani Khumalo, said the meeting was a routine stakeholders’ meeting, he confirmed it was particularly for discussing the need to regularise information and to speed up the process of finding a solution about the double ownership of stands.
There has been a growing concern from residents after about 2 300 housing stands were reportedly repossessed from beneficiaries in the suburb, reportedly on the grounds they were not paying developmental fees to the Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust (BHSCT).
The stakeholders that attended yesterday’s meeting were representatives of the Inter-ministerial Provincial Operation Committee, the consortium, officials from the Bulawayo City Council’s department of Housing and Community Services, Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development and from the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.
Speaking after the meeting, Lt-Col Khumalo expressed disappointment over the way “some beneficiaries had sought to disturb the project.”
He said the council had agreed at the meeting to provide more land although it was yet to clarify how much would be made available.
“This was actually part of our routine meetings and we agreed to regularise those people who have not been paying to the council and we have already come up with something to correct the problem of double owned stands,” he said.
Lt-Col Khumalo said all parties were in agreement that no one should lose a stand.
“Council has promised to provide more land and no one will lose out. The noise that is being made is not necessary because there are things we are working on concerning the issue,” he said.
Lt-Col Khumalo said preference on the new stands would be given to those who were embroiled in disputes because of multi-ownership.
“In fact, it is not correct to say 2 300 stands were repossessed because some have been regularised and are now in the system and the stands with more than one owner are less than 300.
“Those who had made some developments towards servicing of the stands are the ones who would remain on the stands and those who had not done anything would be given new stands.
“Now we are putting data together and as soon as we are through we will start going around all the stands to assess development,” said Lt-Col Khumalo.
Beneficiaries are supposed to pay monthly subscriptions towards buying of material.
Some beneficiaries, however, raised concern that the officials should have notified every affected individual before carrying out an audit so that they are on their stand when the process is done.
They said if the audit is done without the beneficiaries, the alleged “scam would not be discovered as they would cover up for some of the mishaps”.
Concerned Zanu-PF members in a statement yesterday said the BHSCT had betrayed the trust bestowed on it by President Mugabe.
“The BHSCT was supposed to be the arm of the Government in support of Zanu-PF, which bears the mandate to undertake the project to success. It was supposed to practically prove to the people that they are a party-oriented organisation, which serves to breed supporters of Zanu-PF and President Mugabe.

“People were expecting the BHSCT to channel funds with a positive attitude. The unfolding events are testimony that the BHSCT was designed for other reasons,” read part of the statement.
In 2005, the Government allocated about 7 800 stands for low-income earners in Cowdray Park.
Lt-Col Khumalo said judgment on who should remain on the stand would not be based on the presence of the beneficiaries but they would assess every stand to ascertain development.
“Those who are outside Bulawayo or the country should have provided phone numbers on the forms and we would contact everyone whose number is there. There should have representatives who would update them because we do not want to leave anyone out,” he said.
Lately, the council has reportedly been on the ground surveying land to be handed over to Hlalani Kuhle for more stands.
Lt-Col Khumalo claimed there were some individuals who were mobilising beneficiaries to protest.
He encouraged those affected to visit Hlalani Kuhle offices and to attend weekly segment meetings or quarterly meetings for the whole project.
“The project is self aided and requires every beneficiary to pay subscriptions to develop the land in the suburb. Anyone who does not want to be part of it is free to move to where they would be attended the way they want,” said Lt-Col Khumalo.
“When we started the project the whole area was a bush and we worked hard to develop it to what it is today and some people would come and try to disturb.
“We are prepared to assist everyone who has a problem without favour and they should come forward. People should refer to the conditions stated in the offer letter. The problem is that people do not want to attend meetings and we have identified some former leaders of cooperatives as the ones who are trying to destabilise the project.”
There have been concerns by beneficiaries that officials at the project were misappropriating funds, to which Lt-Col Khumalo said those who were saying so were the same people who were not paying and they could not account for the money they never paid.
They have singled some of the officials (names given) alleged to have collected people’s money and not paid to the consortium.
Ends/ ckd ms