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George Maponga in Masvingo
Chiredzi Town Council could have been prejudiced of more than US$200 000 in potential revenue last year through a housing scam that saw nearly 100 people being allocated stands without a single cent reaching council coffers.
It is alleged that senior officials working in conjunction with corrupt councillors in the previous MDC-T-dominated council allegedly allocated about 96 residential stands in Tshovani Extension to their relatives and associates.
Preliminary findings of an audit instituted by the current town council show that some of the beneficiaries of housing stands in Tshovani suburb allegedly never paid anything for the land.
The stands cost US$ 2000 each, paid over a three-year period, and every beneficiary was to deposit US$500 before confirmation of allocation. Sources said investigations could implicate senior council officials and former councillors.
The previous Chiredzi town council had six councillors from MDC-T, one from Zanu-PF, two special interest councillors and one vacant ward.
“Preliminary indications show that there might have been collusion between some corrupt councillors from the previous council and senior officials who abused the housing stands scheme in Tshovani Extension by allocating them to their friends and relatives. However, council has not yet taken a position on the matter,” said a source who preferred anonymity.
Chiredzi town secretary Mr Charles Muchatukwa said council had ordered another audit to establish how housing stands in Tshovani Extension were allocated. Mr Muchatukwa refused to disclose whether former councillors and senior officials were implicated in the alleged scam.
“We are waiting for results of another audit which will give us leads as to what actually transpired with regards to council housing stands in the Makondo (Tshovani Extension) area. We hope the audit will give us leads as to who did what because initial investigations showed that there are some instances where we failed to get receipts proving that some allocated stands were paid for.”
The Chiredzi town secretary said the council would repossess all the stands that were not paid for. The residential stands market is bouyant in Chiredzi, driven by cash-rich sugar cane farmers.
Online Reporter