The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has condemned 51 buildings in the Central Business District (CBD), which are in a poor state and considered abandoned, dilapidated or derelict and could face possible demolitions.
The local authority has further identified 16 churches in the city that constructed illegal church structures. Over the years, a number of buildings in the city have been abandoned by their owners, some going unoccupied for a number of years.
According to a council report, the local authority had since identified 51 buildings in the city, with the property owners being given notices to address the identified problems.
“In a recent exercise conducted, about 51 buildings in the city centre that were in a poor state and considered abandoned, dilapidated or derelict had been identified. As per Statutory obligations notices had been issued to these properties and despite the efforts, very little progress had been achieved so far in terms of compliance.
“Council had latitude in terms of statutory provisions to carry out such operations to remove the offending danger or nuisance to the public at the cost of the landlord. This avenue had not been effectively pursued in the city in view of lack of specific resources that were required to undertake this costly work that is clearing the sites and effecting demolitions and making good the site,” reads the report.
The local authority noted that out of the 51 condemned buildings, four are being attended to while work was in progress in two. Three have been attended to fully. There are three which are in the process of being charged penalties. The rest are on second notice.
BCC has the authority to repossess such properties as guided by the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act (Chapter 20:20).
The Act states that; “Persons having claim on derelict land may apply to High Court or other public body upon immovable property in Zimbabwe and such property is abandoned, deserted, derelict, and the owner thereof cannot be found, it shall be lawful for the person or body claiming such rate or assessment to apply to the High Court, stating the amount claimed to be due and the grounds applying for relief under this Act.”
Meanwhile, the local authority has identified 16 churches in the city and five houses that are due for demolition because they constructed illegal structures. Majority of the churches are located in Entumbane with 14 churches being exposed to have constructed illegal structures.
“The Director of Housing and Community Services (Mr Dictor Khumalo) reported that in terms of the model building by laws (1977), no construction should be done without approved plans and requisite inspections by council. As such the developments should be regularised if they meet all council by laws and policies subject to relevant penalties paid. If they could not comply, then the development had to be removed accordingly.
“The department had carried routine inspections around the city. Appropriate 21 days notices had been issued. If no corrective action was taken penalties would be charged and where appropriate demolishing procedures instituted,” reads the report.
The local authority recently reported that unscrupulous individuals have reportedly been moving into unoccupied stands at Cowdray Park Hlalani Kuhle section, constructing houses which they then sell to unsuspecting desperate home seekers.
To further worsen the plight of the bona fide owners of the stands, the local authority has said, in such instances they do not penalise the unscrupulous contractors for the illegal structures but instead charge all penalties to the legitimate owners.
