Police stop stands demo

POLICE had to intervene and preside over a dialogue between Bulawayo City Council officials and beneficiaries of Woodville stands, who have been up in arms with the local authority over delays in completing the project.

Beneficiaries of housing stands in Woodville have been up in arms with the local authority and the developer, Asphalt Construction over the delayed servicing of the area despite them paying in full the purchase prices.

The matter was referred to arbitration to force the contractor to complete servicing the area.

However, police had to preside over a dialogue after residents had made an application to demonstrate at the Large City Hall.

According to a letter addressed to representatives of the beneficiaries, Officer Commanding Bulawayo Central District, Chief Superintendent Never Tembo turned down the request noting that the local authority had agreed to the dialogue.

"With reference to maintenance of peace and order section eight Chapter 11:23, consultations, negotiations, amendment of notices and conditions with respect to gatherings to avoid public disorder, I refer to a consultative meeting held on 26 October at ZRP Bulawayo Central headquarters.

"The Bulawayo City Council representatives and you (Woodville stand beneficiaries) agreed to have a dialogue on the issue of delayed servicing of Woodville North stands on a date yet to be advised. It is from this background that picketing/demonstrating is not recommended," reads part of the letter.

According to minutes of the consultative meeting, the local authority which was represented by the senior housing officer, Mr Jerry Sibanda expressed surprise on the route which was now being taken by the residents as they had recently held a fruitful meeting with them.

"Mr Sibanda stated that as council they had meaningful engagement with Woodville North residents recently and they were surprised to learn from the police that the same people wanted to picket against council offices.

"He told the meeting that the Woodville North stands were allocated to beneficiaries on the basis that it was a self-financing project where beneficiaries were footing payment for development. He said the contractor abandoned the project in 2019, due to escalating prices which were induced by inter-bank rate. He said when they could not reach an agreement on payment terms with the contractor the issue was taken to arbitration," read the minutes.

In a letter written to the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, dated 18 October, the beneficiaries called on the local authority to start developing the said stands.

"We have waited more than five years for our properties and we cannot wait any longer as we are aging, going past our productive years. Proposals from the City of Bulawayo are inconsiderate of the obtaining economic environment.

"The City of Bulawayo must complete the servicing of Woodville North stands as they gave consent to the breach of contract by the contractor which resulted in delays and subsequent disputes," reads the letter.

The beneficiaries further call on the local authority to give them authority to start developing their stands arguing that they will not be coerced to top-up on the contract price which they paid.

A number of housing projects in the city have been left hanging after most private developers did not finish their work after demanding to be paid in US dollars at a time the country was using the local currency pegged at par with the US dollar, an arrangement that council could not manage.