BULAWAYO’s land barons, who include top politicians and businesspeople, are set to lose vast tracts of land they acquired long back but had remained undeveloped as Bulawayo City Council has started to repossess all abandoned and undeveloped land in the city.
by LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI
A notice from town clerk Middleton Nyoni said the council would soon reclaim derelict land in terms of Section 5 of the Title Registrations and Derelict Lands Act, chapter 202:20.
“The by-law will be applied by the council to seize land from owners who have failed to develop it within the stipulated time frames.”
Former Water Resources, Development and Management minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo would lose a residential stand in Mahatshula suburb, while former Bulawayo deputy mayor Amen Mpofu would likely lose a lot in Sauerstown along Marula Avenue.
The two would be joining other hundreds of people likely to have land seized as per council by-laws.
The council has over the years encouraged ratepayers to buy land and develop it instead of hoarding it for speculative purposes. Businessman Delma Lupepe has already lost some of his properties after they were seized and placed under the hammer.
