adminTichavona Makonese and Clotilder Mwanza
SOUTHVIEW residents in Harare have signed a petition against Fidelity Life Assurance of Zimbabwe for its failure to deal with people erecting illegal structures in the area.
Fidelity Life Assurance owns the land in Southview.
Residents are worried by the mushrooming of illegal structures in areas meant for the construction of colleges, clinics, churches and police stations, as indicated on the masterplan.
Zimre Property Services managing director, Edson Muvingi, who is responsible for the management of Fidelity Assurance residential stands, said he is aware of the petition and all illegal structures will be destroyed.
“We are aware of the petition and we are going to demolish all illegal structures constructed on illegal places to sanitise that place.
“We are not even aware of some people, who distributed and permitted people to erect structures, in areas which are not permitted within Fidelity.
“We will safeguard everything in the interest of residents,” he said.
Chairperson of Southview Park Residents Association, Albiona Shava, said:
“If such illegal developments are left to continue, it will lead to issues that are detrimental to our community.
“It will expose children on the roads as tuckshops bring lots of traffic into the area and there are some illegal bars, which will also expose children to drug abuse, mutoriro and even diseases like cholera, because of lack of proper toilets.
“As residents, we urge Fidelity to stop these illegal structures so that land remains for the purpose it was meant for,” he said.
Another resident, Admire Mhungu, said he was riled by the chaos in the area.
“When I purchased my stand, it was indicated that this area will be a better high-density area.
“However, the mushrooming of illegal infrastructure, in terms of small shops and bars on areas reserved for other purposes, as indicated on the plan, is unjustifiable,” he said.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter