The Sunday News
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
Hawkflight Construction Company will tomorrow start repairs to houses that collapsed recently due to a heavy storm in Bulawayo.
Hawkflight finance manager Mr Obert Masara yesterday said company staffers were on the ground making preparations to repair damaged houses, adding that the company had also made plans so that affected residents do not live in the open.
“The incident was very unfortunate and as the constructor, we are busy mobilising building material so that we repair the houses. We have been to the ground to work on the modalities and by Monday, delivery of material should start. It was a very unfortunate incident which not only affected houses built by us, but also houses from neighbouring suburbs. But as a company, we have not abandoned our clients. We know this is an emotional issue but we made follow ups and even visited the injured in hospital,” he said.
At least 10 people were injured while more than 50 had their houses damaged after a storm destroyed houses at Emthunzini Township. The rains also damaged houses in neighbouring suburbs.
“These houses were not built properly and it pains us considering the money we paid. Right now most of us are living in the open as our houses don’t have roofs while some of the walls were destroyed when it rained a few weeks ago. We have, through our residents association, approached the company,” said a resident in the area.
Another resident claimed Government officials once visited the area and promised to send experts to make sure that the company followed due procedure when building the houses.
“When Government officials came here a few years ago they promised to get surveyors to look at the houses. But it’s been two years and now some of them have since been fired from Government. A full investigation should be launched into this case to ascertain what really transpired and what caused the houses to collapse,” said another resident.
Emthunzini Township residents chairperson Mr Cosmas Ncube said they believed the houses had defects.
“If nothing is done we are going to demonstrate against the company. So far we have already applied to the police for our demo and we will be approaching relevant offices in Harare. Residents are not wrong to suspect some corrupt activities might have taken place here, but its up to the company to prove otherwise,” said Mr Ncube.
