Council workers in shady land deals
GWERU City Council employees allegedly connived with land developers in approving plans and designs for the development of residential stands without council involvement, a forensic land audit conducted by the Local Government ministry has revealed.
According to the report, the activities of the employees violated the local authority’s code of conduct which prohibits them from engaging in duties outside their employment contracts.
“Some council employees had conflict of interest when they were contracted by land developers in the designing and implementation of sewerage and water reticulation systems as well as illegally approving building plans,” the audit report read.
“In the process, the employees allowed illegal water connection to contractors who were drawing water from council mains.”
Council, according to the report, lost thousands of dollars through the illegal operations.
The audit also noted some stands in suburbs such as Ascot Extension were unprocedurally created on top of sewer lines.
“The designs were unprocedurally approved by council officials without going through the relevant sections,” the report further noted.
Mayor Josiah Makombe said council had already taken disciplinary action against the workers with investigations still ongoing.
“As Gweru City Council, we have since instituted investigations for designs that did not go through the proper procedures as expected by council,” he said.
Over the years, land developers across the country have been accused of irregular dealings with local authorities.
VILLAGERS in Batoka, Hwange, Matabeleland North province have been given four months to vacate their communal lands to pave way for the establishment of a new township, a replica of Kariba town.
Situated on the south bank of the Zambezi River and built on the twin hills of Boterekwa overlooking Kariba Gorge and Lake Kariba (one of the world’s largest man-made lakes), the town was established in 1957 by the Federal Power Board to accommodate Kariba Dam construction staff as well as settlers.
Batoka Town will house workers and settlers at Batoka Hydro Power Plant, a joint venture between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The 2 400 megawatt Batoka Gorge plant was mooted two decades ago by the two countries, both of which are struggling with electricity shortages after drought affected hydropower output.
The project experienced delays over colonial era debts and community resistance.
The project was mooted in 1992 and construction is expected to start this year.
Through Statutory Instrument 188 of 2020, Local Government minister July Moyo said the villagers had up to December 31 to vacate the area, without giving them alternative land.
The SI, however, does not speak about any compensation for loss of land and improvements.
GE and Power China are in a consortium that was shortlisted to build the facility. The project involves construction of a dam, powerhouses, roads, transmission infrastructure and houses in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This comes at a time when scores of villagers in Hwange and Binga districts are facing eviction from their ancestral land to pave way for an influx of Chinese nationals eyeing fortunes from untapped mining fields.
In Hwange, a proposed Chinese mining project at Dinde dip tank caused so much anger that locals have even sought the help of Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to block their evictions.
Mudenda hails from the same province.
“This notice may be cited as
Communal Land (Setting Aside of Land) (Batoka Township) Notice 2020. The area of land specified in the schedule shall be set aside with effect from January 1, 2021 for the purposes of establishing a township,” the Local Government minister said in the notice.
“Any person using or occupying the land specified in the Schedule, otherwise by virtue of a right held in terms of the Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21:05) is ordered to depart permanently with his or her property, from the said land by the 31st of December 2020 unless he or she acquires rights of use or occupation to the said land in terms of section 9(1) of the Communal Lands Act (Chapter 20:04).”
Moyo was not reachable for comment yesterday.
However, the Hwange Residents Trust (HRT) reacted angrily to the planned evictions.
“We strongly condemn any evictions that will take place to the local people without compensation. The government should at all times ensure that the displaced have an alternative place where they will stay and also pay them adequate and timely compensation,” HRT co-ordinator Fidelis Chima said.