Ruwa local board under fire

RESIDENTS of Timire Park medium density suburb in Ruwa on the outskirts of Harare have accused the Ruwa Local Board of failing to provide services despite religiously collecting rates.

Timire Park is a suburb of more than 3000 households.

It was established in 2012 by Shabanie and Mashaba Mine administrator Arafasi Gwaradzimba through his Sharpnex Trading Company Private Limited.

But residents who are paying road, refuse collection and development levies said they are being neglected as the area has not been serviced with roads also in a poor state.

“The Ruwa local board is not being fair as they collect rates from us every month, but the moment we approach them especially to upgrade our roads they tell us to deal with our developer,” said Sam Vandami, a resident of Timire Park.

“It’s daylight robbery. Recently an old sewer pipe that passes through our area from the old location burst, but they took weeks to repair it and it was affecting our place.”

Timire Park residents, through the Timire Park Ratepayers and Residents Association (TIPRRA) recently dragged Gwaradzimba to the High Court accusing him and his Sharpnex Trading Company Private Limited of failing to service the area as per agreement of sale.

TIPRRA chairperson Muchangwirira Puwai said it was surprising that the Ruwa Local Board was not pressing Gwaradzimba to provide services as per agreement of sale.

“The state of the roads in Timire Park is a disaster which needs the intervention of the Ruwa Local Board,” Puwai said.

“They issued the developer with a permit and the developer has not fulfilled anything regarding that permit.

“They should take action rather than just fold their arms and say it's the responsibility of the developer.”

Ruwa Local board town secretary Kumbirai Madanhi said the local authority was not to blame before directing the residents back to Gwaradzimba.

“We allowed them to do a para-development whereby they develop their area whilst they stay there,” Madanhi said.

“We are a third party. The developer was given money by these residents so he has to meet his obligations.”

Madanhi insisted that the council only collected refuse collection rates.