Attempts by Kwekwe City councillors to demolish illegal structures have been blocked by Mayor Matenda Madzoke, it has emerged.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Councillors in the works and planning committee had pushed council to take action against owners of homes in Mbizo East whose houses were built under electricity power lines saying the land was acquired illegally.
They also argued that occupants of the houses risked electrocution if live power cables fell down.
Councillor Aaron Gwalazimba said his main worry was that lives could be lost if the power lines developed problems.
“In the event of something happening and one or more of the power lines failing and falling on top of those houses, the damage and loss of life could be huge unless we act now,” he said at a recent full council meeting.
Madzoke, however, blocked calls to demolish the homes saying it would be inhumane as many families would be left without shelter and at risk of diseases.
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He said council would have to work out a plan to ensure that affected families who legitimately bought stands from the local authority were not punished for the failures and mistakes of management.
Councillor Morris Chinwada even suggested taking action against council management for allocating stands which fell under Zesa pylons and called on the affected families to be given alternative stands and compensation from council.
“This would not have happened if our officers had done their duties diligently. The planning and allocation of stands was done by our officers and they continued even after realising the risk,” he said.
In another matter, council was worried over high cases of illegal connections of sewer lines in Mbizo 11, 14 and 15. The connections often later create problems and have cost the local authority thousands of dollars in lost revenue. They were allegedly being done by former council employees who have inside knowledge of the system.
