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NewsDay

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Council demolishes illegal structures

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MARONDERA municipality yesterday demolished illegal structures erected at the main bus terminus in a move meant to restore sanity in the farming town.

MARONDERA municipality yesterday demolished illegal structures erected at the main bus terminus in a move meant to restore sanity in the farming town.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

The emergence of space barons at the rank saw the erecting of shacks with owners reportedly renting them out in foreign currency.

Scores of vendors were left stranded after municipal officials brought in earth-moving machinery and demolished the shacks and other infrastructure like tuck-shops.

During a full council meeting last month, council resolved to descend on space barons through destroying illegal structures saying they were losing a lot of revenue to individuals.

Marondera mayor Chengetai Murowa yesterday said the destruction of illegal structures was long overdue.

“We need to bring sanity in the town and we are against the individuals who are renting out the shacks to people.

Council has been losing revenue through such acts,” he said.

“We urge those in need of space for business to follow proper procedures and legal routes. The bus terminus is the face of the town and it has become an eyesore. Some of the space barons are charging US$140 per month and council is getting nothing.”

NewsDay is reliably informed that some of the space barons were government officials while others were politically connected.

In the last full council meeting, it was also revealed that some council officials have been working in cahoots with the space barons.

Area councillor Saizi Vilela said the demolitions were meant to bring sanity at the main bus terminus.

“We warned those erecting illegal structures long back and we could not contain and manage the filthiness and disorder that was brought along. We had to factor in health risks as well,” he said.