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Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA municipality has said dilapidated buildings in the town will be shut down in due course if renovations are not done in the interest of public safety.

Gwanda Mayor Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu yesterday said the municipality was worried about the state of some of the town’s buildings.

“We are officially starting inspecting buildings and advising owners of old and dilapidated buildings of the dangers related with them so that they create a conducive environment to work in. This is being done with a view to raising standards of buildings in town through maintenance as the municipality seeks to spruce up the image of Gwanda while making sure that structures are not a danger to operate in,” said Clr Ndlovu.

He said the majority of buildings which need to be renovated are located along 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Avenues.

“Owners of the buildings and businesspeople will be given notices to renovate their buildings. Those who fail to do so during the grace period will risk having their buildings shut down until such a time they conform to the set standards,” the Mayor said.

Clr Ndlovu said the municipality was not being insensitive to businesses but wanted to create a safe environment and avert disasters associated with collapsed buildings as has happened in other cities and towns.

“We don’t want unnecessary loss of life or having our people being injured yet we could have avoided that. We are very much business friendly as a council but there are some set standards which can’t be avoided in terms of keeping the public safe,” he said.

Recently one person died when a Nandos building collapsed in Bulawayo.

@richardmuponde