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NewsDay

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Councillor sells toilet for conversion to shop

Politics
A Zanu PF councillor in Chitungwiza Ward 18, Goodwill Mafuratidze, is allegedly entangled in a “toilet war” with residents who accuse him of selling a public toilet at Unit L Shopping Centre to a local businessman who intends to convert it into a shop. Mafuratidze is alleged to have sold the toilet to a businessman […]

A Zanu PF councillor in Chitungwiza Ward 18, Goodwill Mafuratidze, is allegedly entangled in a “toilet war” with residents who accuse him of selling a public toilet at Unit L Shopping Centre to a local businessman who intends to convert it into a shop.

Mafuratidze is alleged to have sold the toilet to a businessman who is said to be the owner of many small shops in Chitungwiza.

Residents who live close to the shopping centre and vendors that used the toilet before it was closed told NewsDay yesterday they had seen the businessman removing the toilet roof last week.

When NewsDay visited the place, vendors were fuming accusing the Chitungwiza Council Board of letting them down.

Contacted to comment on the issue, Chitungwiza town clerk Douglas Tanyanyiwa professed ignorance over the alleged closure and sale of the public toilet.

“I do not know of any public toilet which has been sold by the council, but I would rather invite you to our council offices to discuss the issue,” said Tanyanyiwa. Residents in the suburb are angry with the development, saying they refused to be dispossessed of their toilet and that converting it into a shop would be a health hazard. The public toilet was renovated by Unicef during the 2008 cholera outbreak.

“It’s a shame for this guy to convert a toilet into a shop. I don’t know what kind of businessperson he is,” said a disgruntled vendor.

The toilet has since been closed, leaving members of the public and market traders without ablution facilities.

“This toilet was built many years ago, but somebody just decides to make quick money disregarding the fact that traders need a toilet,” said another vendor. The toilet served more than 200 vendors, shoppers and people who live around the area.

“We need a toilet here and not a shop. We have too many shops here already,” the vendors fumed.

The businessman who allegedly bought the toilet has built another one in the council yard, but people have refused to use it because they are required to pay for that. “We are not used to such kind of services (paying for using toilets) and we have decided as market people to boycott and close the toilet,” said a vendor.