News / Local
illegal settlers invade Norwood
19 Oct 2013 at 03:55hrs | Views
AT least 30 "illegal" settlers have invaded Bulawayo's Norwood suburb where they are reportedly being allocated stands by one of the occupants upon payment of $250.
The development has sparked an outrage in the suburb which is along Bulawayo-Nyamandlovu Road.
In separate interviews yesterday, Norwood residents who preferred anonymity said some unknown people had descended on the suburb and were clearing land and building homesteads. Some of them are building huts.
"We just saw these people clearing the land and building homesteads. Some of them have been here for almost a year now," said one of the residents.
The residents said they were afraid to confront the "invaders" because they were violent.
"Council is aware of the issue but they are not doing anything," said another resident.
The residents said the illegal settlers were allocated land by one of the residents in the area (name supplied) who was demanding $250 payment from each occupant.
"For now I think there are about 30 homesteads in this area. The occupants are given the land by an old man who lives here and demands payment of $250 per stand," said another resident.
The residents said sometime last year they tried to approach the Civil Court over the matter with the assistance of the former councillor for the area, Mr Amen Mpofu, who was the deputy mayor.
They said the effort did not yield anything as the illegal settlers continued to come.
"We appeal to the authorities to intervene. These people are aggressive and you cannot reason with them. We do not want to be quoted on record lest they come here at night and attack us," said another resident.
When the news crew visited the area yesterday a youth said visitors were not allowed in the new settlement.
"There are several homesteads up there but please do not proceed because those people can attack you," said the youth.
A few homesteads were seen from a distance from the Nyamandlovu Road.
Contacted for comment Mr Mpofu said he was aware of the issue and implored council to address the issue before it goes out of hand.
"I am more than happy when you raise the issue. On several occasions I tried to talk about it during my term in council but nothing was done.
"What is happening there is the same as what happened in Enganwini suburb where we ended up evicting some people who had allocated themselves land," said Mr Mpofu.
He said he knew the old man (name supplied) who was spearheading the allocation of land and described him as a criminal.
"That place has become a mini-suburb where somebody who lacks respect is selling pieces of council land. I wonder why no action is being taken. If you go there people are busy clearing the land and some are illegally selling firewood, " said Mr Mpofu.
He said the council which owns the land was surprisingly not taking action.
Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo could not be drawn into commenting on the issue saying he was locked in a meeting while the council's public relations office requested to have questions in writing.
The development has sparked an outrage in the suburb which is along Bulawayo-Nyamandlovu Road.
In separate interviews yesterday, Norwood residents who preferred anonymity said some unknown people had descended on the suburb and were clearing land and building homesteads. Some of them are building huts.
"We just saw these people clearing the land and building homesteads. Some of them have been here for almost a year now," said one of the residents.
The residents said they were afraid to confront the "invaders" because they were violent.
"Council is aware of the issue but they are not doing anything," said another resident.
The residents said the illegal settlers were allocated land by one of the residents in the area (name supplied) who was demanding $250 payment from each occupant.
"For now I think there are about 30 homesteads in this area. The occupants are given the land by an old man who lives here and demands payment of $250 per stand," said another resident.
The residents said sometime last year they tried to approach the Civil Court over the matter with the assistance of the former councillor for the area, Mr Amen Mpofu, who was the deputy mayor.
They said the effort did not yield anything as the illegal settlers continued to come.
"We appeal to the authorities to intervene. These people are aggressive and you cannot reason with them. We do not want to be quoted on record lest they come here at night and attack us," said another resident.
When the news crew visited the area yesterday a youth said visitors were not allowed in the new settlement.
"There are several homesteads up there but please do not proceed because those people can attack you," said the youth.
A few homesteads were seen from a distance from the Nyamandlovu Road.
Contacted for comment Mr Mpofu said he was aware of the issue and implored council to address the issue before it goes out of hand.
"I am more than happy when you raise the issue. On several occasions I tried to talk about it during my term in council but nothing was done.
"What is happening there is the same as what happened in Enganwini suburb where we ended up evicting some people who had allocated themselves land," said Mr Mpofu.
He said he knew the old man (name supplied) who was spearheading the allocation of land and described him as a criminal.
"That place has become a mini-suburb where somebody who lacks respect is selling pieces of council land. I wonder why no action is being taken. If you go there people are busy clearing the land and some are illegally selling firewood, " said Mr Mpofu.
He said the council which owns the land was surprisingly not taking action.
Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo could not be drawn into commenting on the issue saying he was locked in a meeting while the council's public relations office requested to have questions in writing.
Source - Chronicle
