Ray of hope for Caledonia residents

Caledonia residents have expressed hope following Government’s directive that Harare City Council takes over management of the estate from land barons and housing co-operatives.

Council has since directed that housing co-operatives operating in the area should immediately cease parcelling out land.

The move by the City Council follows an audit which unearthed gross abuse of home-seekers’ funds amounting to $57 million by housing co-operatives and land barons.

This forced the Government to appoint a management committee comprising the Harare City Council, police and other stakeholders.

Mbuya Jane Machaya (61) said the Government directive had brought a ray of hope to residents who had been duped by greedy housing co-operatives and land barons for the past two decades.

“I came to Caledonia in 2003 but up to now I have only managed to build this two-roomed house,” she says as she points to a dilapidated house.

“I have been paying $67 a month since I came here, but I have not seen any development from the housing co-operative,” she said.

“We have no roads and any other infrastructure to indicate that we are paying such large sums per month. These housing cooperatives have been milking us dry and giving us nothing in return.”

She hopes that City Council’s takeover will spearhead developmental projects in the area.

Another resident, July Mashezha (52), said the law should take its course and all those who have been involved in swindling home-seekers should be brought to book.

“All those who have been found on the wrong side of the law must be immediately arrested, as it is clear that a lot of people were duped of their monies,” he said.

“The law must be allowed to take its course as soon as possible.”He said the takeover and the subsequent audit will reduce incidences of multiple ownership of stands.

“It’s a welcome project and we hope it will deal with multiple ownership, since some people have even up to 10 houses,” said Mashezha.

Harare City Council principal communications officer, Mr Michael Chideme, said individuals who have been resisting council takeover by removing pegs and disrupting the erection of a council sub office have been advised to present themselves to the police.

“All co-operatives have been asked to open new accounts with CBZ. These will be professionally managed by the bank to ensure that members’ subscriptions go directly to service provision,” said Chideme.

Council has started dispatching a team of data capturers who will visit each household to collect relevant data.

The information will be used to put the properties on the council valuation roll and ensure the existence of an orderly settlement.