The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Friday, May 17, 1968 — Bulawayo City Council is still undecided on the action it will take against pise house owners in Queens Park and Sauerstown who fail to comply by June 30 with regulations to improve their properties.

The Deputy Town Clerk, Mr Eric Wright, said yesterday no decision had been made.

“The whole situation will be reported to the council once the matter arises,” he said.

June 30 will end a three-year period of grace in which residents have had time to build suitable servant’s quarters and install guttering and downpipes.

During the period, about 20 000 letters, documents and agreements have changed hands, a municipality spokesman said yesterday.

Of the 849 house owners involved, there are still 488 who have done nothing to improve their properties. Now they have just over a month left before the deadline.

Clr L Sexon warned at a Queens Park East Ratepayers’ Association meeting on Wednesday night that they would not get his support for a further extension of time.

He also assured these owners that “they would not get away with it”. Yesterday he said the municipality could not demolish the houses under the old agreement in 1956, but it could take positive steps.

“The municipality itself could carry out the necessary improvements and then house owners would have to foot the bill,” he said.

Meanwhile the house owners who have complied with the health regulations are disgruntled because neighbours have not taken similar steps.

Mr Don Goodson of 28 Sutherland Road, Queens Park East, said that as far as he was concerned the people who were doing nothing were “merely sitting on the fence”.