‘Govt approved HCC layout plan to allocate stands on tarred roads’

By The Standard and Newsday | Dec. 22, 2021 | 2 Min read

The HCC came under heavy criticism recently for allegedly allocating residential stands on roads in Glen Norah.

BY PRIVILEGE GUMBODETE/ TAFADZWA KACHIKO/TENDAI SAUTA GOVERNMENT was responsible for approving a Harare City Council (HCC) layout plan that resulted in the allocation of stands on tarred roads in Glen Norah.

The HCC came under heavy criticism recently for allegedly allocating residential stands on roads in Glen Norah.

However, a HCC memo dated June 16, 2021 written by the acting director of works Norman Karidza to the finance director (audit manager) seen by NewsDay reveals that Local Government for Housing Development minister July Moyo approved the layout plan for Glen Norah.

“According to a town planners perspective, there was nothing untoward about the planning of the residential infill stands in Glen Norah as it is the council’s mandate to provide residents with stands to build houses, especially in areas which are technically feasible and are already endowed with services such as roads, water and sewers,” the memo read.

“From the audit report, the land was being used for urban agriculture yet it had been approved by the Minister of Local Government for housing development according to the approved layout plan for Glen Norah/Glen View.”

The memo added: “Space for the expansion and/ or preservation of the crescents is still available and should council wish to maintain these roads as crescents, it can easily be accommodated still.”

Meanwhile, Chitungwiza Municipality yesterday disconnected water supplies to residents in Zengeza 3 Extension over unpaid bills.

The area normally receives water once or twice a week either at night or during the day.

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Town spokesperson Lovemore Meya told NewsDay that disconnecting water was the last option to force ratepayers to settle their bills.

“This is not a punishment but a measure to encourage residents to honour their obligation to pay bills so that we settle our debt with City of Harare which supplies us the water,” Meya said.

“We will also do the same (disconnections) in Zengeza 5 Extension, Zengeza 4 near Chitungwiza Central Hospital, St Mary’s, Tilcor industrial area, Seke Unit J, N, O, P and K.”

But residents were fuming, accusing the municipality of failing to provide water.

“It’s very unfair to disconnect houses which don’t receive water daily. Someone has to question the discrepancy in water consumed and water bill by council. We wonder where the huge bill comes from,” Frank Rusava said.

Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association secretary Brighton Mazhindu added: “Disconnecting water would expose residents to diseases and promote corruption among the unpaid council employees.

“Another issue is that council is not charging actual charges, it just used estimations.”