Zimpapers Logo

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
FORTY families in Jahunda suburb’s one-roomed houses will temporarily be sheltered at MaNkomo Beer Garden storerooms to allow the municipality to renovate their dilapidated houses.

The renovations will be carried out under the Jahunda Re-Development project, Gwanda mayor, Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu, said yesterday.

He, however, said the municipality was yet to take a position on whether or not to move residents to MaNkomo Beer Hall storerooms.

“The MaNkomo Beer Hall storerooms are one of the areas that we have identified to be used as temporary structures to house residents while the new houses are being constructed. It is, however, not conclusive whether we will finally relocate residents to the storerooms,” said Clr Ndlovu.

He said the municipality does not have alternative accommodation.

“We don’t have alternative accommodation save for the beer garden storerooms. We are doing this for the good of the residents in the event of disasters like strong winds and rains.

“The residents’ relocation there depends on whether the place is suitable for human habitation. However, we urge those with relatives who can accommodate them to take that route,” said Clr Ndlovu.

The municipality is working in partnership with private land developers on the project.

Clr Ndlovu said the local authority expected to construct 36 blocks that contain three-rooms.

Residents said the municipality’s health and housing committee chairperson, Clr Thulani Moyo, told them at a recent residents’ meeting that the local authority had resolved to accommodate them at MaNkomo Beer Garden storerooms while their houses are being reconstructed.

Clr Moyo could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, Jahunda residents have received the move by the municipality to shelter them at the beer hall with mixed feelings with some saying it was good while others said it was not.

“We now have big families and the one-roomed houses had become too small for us. We’ve nowhere else to go but would want our houses to be renovated as you can see that the structures are now too old.

“We’re desperate and we know the municipality has no other place to accommodate us while renovations take place. We believe the municipality is doing it for our own good,” said Ndaba Moyo.

Due to inadequate space, some family members who reside in the one-roomed section sleep outside the houses. Occupants of the one-roomed houses share water and have communal toilets.

“When you come here at night, you’ll find a number of people from different families sleeping outside on the slab because there isn’t enough space to accommodate them in their one-roomed houses. Families are expanding,” said Moyo.

Another resident, Caroline Khumalo, said she would be forced to reside at the beer hall storerooms as she had nowhere else to take her family.

She said the municipality should expedite the construction of the houses.

“We’re happy that the municipality is trying to improve our living conditions. Our houses weren’t suitable for human occupation,” she said.

Other residents did not welcome the municipality’s resolution to move them to the beer hall storerooms. They said the place was not good for children since the storerooms were about 40 metres away from the beer hall.

“We don’t know whether it would be proper for children to stay at the beer hall premises because they’ll have to share ablution facilities and water with patrons. If only the municipality could do something to protect the children,” said a resident who preferred anonymity.

The Gwanda Residents Association spokesperson Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo described the local authority’s resolution as “absurd”.

“This arrangement, besides being very unfortunate, is the most absurd arrangement that can be expected from a council in this day and age. This phase of the Jahunda Redevelopment Programme is nothing new. The process has been ongoing for years now and no such absurd move has ever been hinted before.

“The process has always been clear that new houses are built and people move into the new houses before their old ones are demolished.

“What is further disturbing is that, the people that are earmarked to go and reside in the beer hall are mostly very old people most of whom are taking care of orphans and the sick,” said Fuzwayo.

He said moving people to the beer hall storerooms would expose children to the ills of drunkards and all sorts of characters who patronise the town’s largest beer hall.

“The association will without prejudice make sure that this very absurd move by council does not come to fruition,” Fuzwayo said.

The Jahunda Re-Development project started some years back but failed to run smoothly owing to financial challenges. It resumed in April 2013 but continued facing funding problems, delaying its completion.

More than $20,000 has been invested in the project.

Under the project, some semi-detached three roomed houses have been completed and some beneficiaries are already living in them.