Residents, ZANU PF raise red flags over Hatcliffe extension developers
Brian Rungano Temba
Residents in Hatfcliffe extension have called on authorities to intervene after what they term as a gross misuse of land, originally earmarked for social amenities.
Land developers have been parceling out stands on spaces earmarked for schools and clinics.
Land that could have served over 30 000 residents in the high density suburb has been privatized, converting what could have been public schools and small industries into private clinics and shops.
All to solicit quick gains at the expense of the community at large.
Residents have turned to ZANU-PF leadership following all efforts to get assistance after being ignored by their councilors and Member of Parliament, who all belong to CCC.
Harare Metropolitan Provincial Chairman Cde Godwills Masimirembwa has appealed to Government to cancel the development agreement with three main land developers namely; Alpha Developers – fronted by Mr Ronald Gapare, Divine Homes – fronted by Mr Nhamo Tutisani and Pilgrims – fronted by Mrs Nyasha Chikwinya
“The situation in Hatcliffe is not normal, three land developers were allocated land in Hatcliffe-Extension in 2009. They were supposed to develop that piece of land, putting up services, roads, sewer and water but they never did so despite the fact that they have been collecting money from people. Instead, they have been threatening residents with evictions demanding extortionate amounts of money,” said Cde Masimirembwa.
Cde Masimirembwa said they will be recommending to Government to cancel the development agreements with the three developers.
“Let the people deal directly with the Government. Those developers have caused a lot of pain and suffering to the people of Hatcliffe-Extention,” said Cde Masimirembwa.
Cde Masimirembwa also said that the CCC representatives in these constituencies have been watching as people get abused by these land developers and land barons using the same unserviced roads and did not bat an eye lid at the anomaly.
“The CCC are not people oriented, the local MP there Mr Rusty Markham and their councilors are not doing anything in Hatcliffe as they are nonchalant towards the state of lives of the residents in Hatcliffe-Extension.
The area is lagging behind in terms of infrastructural development as roads and public service facilities are virtually non-existent,” added Cde Masimirembwa
Cde Masimirembwa said the party is confident that the Ministry of Public Housing and Ministry of Local Government will assist in rectifying the wrongs done by the land barons and land developers after kicking them out of Hatcliffe-Extension for good.
Cde Masimirembwa told TateguruTV that he is convinced that the activities going down in Hatcliffe-Extension are nothing short of corrupt, from the parceling out of land to changing purpose of land meant for schools, public utilities and other services turning them into residential stands.
ZANU-PF Secretary for Lands for Zone 4 – Harare, Cde William Mohamed told TateguruTV that the party will not rest until these land barons and developers are brought to book.
Cde Mohamed said he was approached by the residents who had been threatened with being kicked out of their homes by the land developers and land barons who were subdividing land to accommodate their new clients.
“Land Barons and Land Developers have extorted the residents of Hatcliffe-Extension long enough and we have come to say enough is enough.
As Secretary for Lands, I have the sole mandate to address issues brought to me by the residents of Zone 4 Harare, which includes the area in question, Hatcliffe-Extension.
It is my understanding that Land Developers and Cooperatives were condemned by the Government and therefore there is no need for them to continue collecting money from the public,” Cde Mohammed said.
“We suggest as leadership that Government administers swift aid to avail public schools for the community that has been deprived of the facility.
There can be no reversal of this motion, all land barons and land developers have failed to sustainably develope Hatcliffe-Extension and must be kicked out of Hatciffe” he added.
During a tour of Hatcliffe-Extension, TateguruTV got a glimpse of the situation as we interacted with the residents and stakeholders of the community.
The journey through the untarred muddy slippery roads which have not been serviced in ages was an extreme sport on its own, but this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Mrs Opper Fazer-William a resident of Ward 4, Hatcliffe-Extension told TateguruTV that 3.7 ha of land that was reserved for a Primary School has been subdivided into Church land.
“We have only three schools here in Hatcliffe-Extension which service the whole population of over 30 000 residents. Of the three existing schools, non of them meet proper standards with most of them having leaking roofs and broken window panes.
We thought as a community this land here at Muzinda would be a great location for a public school. We had approached benefactors who had agreed to assist in building the school and were directed to apply for the land. When we approached local government offices for assistance in applying we were then told that the land had been bought by the Seventh Day Adventist,” said Mrs Opper Frazer-William.
They have since requested paperwork on the sale of the land.
“In desperation we resorted to move the issue through our Party leadership in ZANU-PF because it seemed government officials were in cohort with the land barons.
We got the audience of Cde Mohamed who relayed our complaints to the Provincial Chairman Cde Godwills Masimirembwa,” said Mrs Frazer-William.
Mrs Frazer-William who moved to Hatcliffe-Extension in 2002 says the Muzinda open space has always been undeveloped.
The Land Developers tend to leave areas earmarked for the development of bus Termini, schools, Flea Markets and Public Clinics undeveloped so as to sell them to a higher price to those who wish to build Churches, Private Schools and Clinics and houses.
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