Online Reporter
Lubelihle Moyo and Mthokozisi Ncube
THE mystery surrounding a sprawling, 13-roomed mansion under construction in Bulawayo’s leafy Kumalo suburb continues to deepen.
The property, which has been at the centre of a bitter ownership dispute for nearly four decades, remains a scene of “supreme confusion” as one of the four claimants expressed lack of confidence in how the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is handling the matter.
Raphael Masuku, who claims to be the first legitimate purchaser of the stand, has broken his silence.
Following the story published by our sister paper, the Sunday News, in December last year, Masuku visited B-Metro newsroom to lay bare his soul.
He alleged that decades of irregular transfers, missing documents, and “concealment” by municipal officials have put his life savings at risk.
The dispute over Stand 6843, located at 15 Pingstone Road, dates back to 1987. According to council records and Masuku’s documents, the stand was originally sold to the late Girlie Malunga for $3 540.
“The saga began in 1987 when the late Girlie Malunga bought the stand from the Bulawayo City Council. She paid only a quarter of the price before she unfortunately passed away 10 months later,” Masuku explained.
“After her death, her husband, Joseph Bingo Malunga, inherited the responsibility. However, documents show he never settled the outstanding balance, and the property sat undeveloped for years.”
Despite a 1991 “intent to cancel” notice issued by the BCC due to non-payment, the cancellation was never enforced.
Masuku argues this created a “legal vacuum” that allowed the property to be sold multiple times.
Masuku believes his claim is the most valid because he dealt directly with the surviving spouse of the original owner.
“In 2016, I purchased the stand directly from Joseph Malunga after verifying he was the surviving spouse connected to the original purchase.
“I believed I was entering a lawful agreement. However, after the purchase, I began to experience serious difficulties because my attempts to regularise the stand and transfer it into my name were ignored by the Council,” said Masuku.
While Masuku was trying to register his deed, a parallel chain of sales was allegedly occurring. A man named Stanley Mpofu claimed to have bought the stand in 2008, built a concrete slab, and sold it to Thabani Mguni in 2012.
Masuku remains highly skeptical of these claims, noting that Mpofu reportedly told auditors he no longer possesses any receipts.
“How can someone simply lose documentation for property transactions involving thousands of dollars? When documents for such important agreements just disappear, it becomes extremely suspicious. It raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of those claims,” Masuku told B-Metro.
The plot thickened in 2022 when the High Court in Bulawayo is alleged to have granted ownership to Eukellia Mguni (Thabani’s widow) by default.
Masuku alleges that the BCC Housing Department intentionally advised its legal team not to oppose the court application, despite knowing the 1987 purchase was never completed.
The shock of the legal battle peaked in 2023 when Masuku returned from South Africa to find a massive structure where his vacant land used to be.
“When I came back to Bulawayo in 2023, I went to check the stand only to discover a 13-room mansion already under construction. I learnt it was being built by Fanwell Zouma, who had purchased the property from the Mguni estate.
“It was shocking because this development was happening on land I lawfully purchased years earlier,” he said.
The mansion was reportedly built up to roof level without a single approved building plan. While a $500 “regularisation fee” was allegedly paid by the developer, a council audit has recommended demolition due to the extensive irregularities.
However, Masuku fears the Council’s solution might still leave him empty-handed.
“I am facing the possibility of losing land that I genuinely bought through a legitimate process. The system seems to have ignored my purchase completely.
“I have followed every legal step, yet it feels like the system is working against me. I could lose property that honestly belongs to me,” Masuku lamented.
