adminNgoni Dapira
MUTARE City Council’s intent to clear out illegal structures that were sprouting in the city took place last Wednesday.
The on-going operation, which is in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, focused on illegal structures of pool tables that had sprouted all over the streets at undesignated places.
Mutare City Council Town Clerk Obert Muzawazi said the operation was meant to ensure by-laws were respected and upheld in the city.
A ‘‘free-for-all’’ state of affairs where people just put up structures willy-nilly had become the order of the day in Mutare.
Of concern, the pool tables were now making their way into the Central Business District.
The sprouting of pool tables on the streets started early this year in the high-density suburbs, especially in Dangamvura and Sakubva.
The pool tables were placed at central hang-out spots like tuckshops, bars or even outside residential houses.
In the city centre they were mostly clustered downtown at the Dangamvura Bus Terminus and Mudzviti Bus Terminus, but they were now encroaching uptown.
The operation, which took place overnight last Wednesday, saw pool table sheds being dismantled and the pool tables confiscated. Mr Muzawazi said as regulators their job was to standardise and ensure by-laws were adhered to in the city.
“We need to ensure there is law and order in the city and sanity as well. We are aware that economically things are hard with companies closing, but then again order has to be maintained.
“We should maximise using the designated vending sites and if there is a spillover as local authority we will avail more space,” said the Town Clerk.
He added that he had travelled to other regional countries more populated than Zimbabwe and struggling economically as well but sanity was still maintained by the local authorities.
“We will not force people off the roads into oblivion but move people to more decent places.
“We are also taking into consideration those in shops paying trading licences that will be disadvantaged by vendors selling for free directly outside their buildings.
“All we are saying is let us try to maintain standards and follow the by-laws despite the economic challenges we are facing which have forced most people into vending,” said Mr Muzawazi.
The Town Clerk also warned illegal settlers in the Federation and Gimboki South high-density areas.
“We are going to get court orders to remove illegal settlers in the Federation and Gimboki South areas.
“Let us follow the by-laws and not just build houses wherever we wish to without the approval of the local authority,” said the Mutare City Council boss.
On the other hand while most of the owners of the pool tables justified their actions saying they wanted to earn a decent living during the difficult economic times where jobs are now hard to come by, the biggest question is whether risking lawlessness for empathy is the best direction we should head during our turbulent economic times.
According to one pool table owner who requested anonymity, on a good day, they can pocket $50 from a table on the streets.
“We do not want to steal from anyone so we resort to creative ways of making money to earn a living.
“If I can get even $5 from my table and be able to put food on the table at the end of the day I am better off,” he said.
The Mutare clean-up operation last week Wednesday comes at the right time, when the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Ignatius Chombo, on Monday reinforced the need for sanity in the cities and warned all urban local authorities not to compromise ‘‘proper’’ structural planning, but to follow their mandate of local planning and development control as enshrined in the Urban Council Act and the Regional Town and Planning Act.
The meeting in Harare drew all mayors, chairpersons, provincial administrators, town clerks and some councillors from all the urban councils countrywide.
The minister delved into several contentious issues being faced by local authorities like that of illegal settlers, the dishing out of un-serviced land to individuals and co-operatives that do not have the capacity to develop the land, construction of houses without approved layout plans and uncontrolled vending, among other issues.
Online Reporter