adminWalter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
THE Masvingo City Council has served Masvingo Informal Traders Association(MITA) president Mr Gilbert Chikwata with a 90 –day eviction notice over outstanding rentals amounting to about $100 000, senior council official has said.
Masvingo Town Clerk Mr Adolf Gusha said Chikwata has not been paying rentals for the use of Mucheke People’s Shop for close to three years and repeated efforts to engage him to come up with a payment plan have proved fruitless.
He alleged that Mr Chikwata had ignored a number of letters written to him demanding payment so council was left with no option but to evict him.
“We have served Mr Chikwata of MITA with a 90-day ultimatum to pay his dues amounting to more than $100 000 or face eviction. We have been too lenient allowing him to operate despite his outstanding rentals and utility bills accumulating,” said Mr Gusha,
He said according to a lease agreement which council has decided to terminate due to unpaid rentals, Mr Chikwata is the sole leasee of the property but surprisingly there are a number of other businesses occupying it. He alleged that the MITA boss collects rentals and rates from his tenants estimated to be more than 2 000 but he does not pay anything to council.
Contacted for comment Mr Chikwata said council was against people’s empowerment.
He said council could not expect rentals when it is not providing the required services such as water.
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