BULAWAYO, Jul. 24 (NewsDay Live) – The Zimbabwe Union of Residents and Ratepayers Association (ZURRA) has urged the government to extend the July 31 deadline for finalising deceased estates, arguing that it unfairly disadvantages vulnerable beneficiaries.
In a statement, ZURRA spokesperson Marvelous Khumalo said while the association supports efforts to speed up the administration of deceased estates, many families cannot afford the costs involved.
“Our consultations show estates remain unfinished not because of unwillingness, but because of financial burdens such as Master’s Office fees, property valuations and conveyancing costs,” Khumalo said.
He said widows, pensioners, unemployed people and child-headed households were among those most affected, as their primary inheritance is often a single residential property.
ZURRA is proposing flexible payment arrangements and an extension of the deadline to give families more time to comply amid prevailing economic challenges.
The association also called on the Master of the High Court to clarify what measures will be taken against estates that remain unresolved after the deadline.
