Zimpapers Logo

A customer buys food from the Gweru OK outlet with scaffolding and drapes set up for renovations in the background

From Munyaradzi Musiiwa and Bhuzwani Moyo in Gweru
THE Gweru City Council has ordered the immediate closure of OK Zimbabwe’s Gweru branch for allegedly breaching rules of public safety after the giant retail outlet embarked on massive renovations at its supermarket in the Midlands capital without following prescribed precautions.

The local authority’s Assistant Town Clerk in charge of Public Relations, Tapiwa Marerwa, confirmed the developments.

He said: “We have issued a 24-hour ultimatum today (yesterday) to OK Zimbabwe Gweru supermarket to cease operations. Council recently learnt that the supermarket was conducting renovations at their Robert Mugabe outlet without following the required procedure”.

Marerwa said the supermarket had failed to follow proper procedures expected when embarking on such massive renovations.

He said OK Supermarkets also failed to comply with the terms and conditions of public safety as prescribed by the local authority.

“When any company seeks to embark on massive renovations, they submit a plan to the city council which would be approved by the Director of Planning.

Secondly, there are terms and conditions of public safety that the company or any owner of a building must follow that include putting demarcation lines or signs of the area under renovations,” Marerwa said.

He said OK Supermarket would cease operations with effect from today failure to which the local authority would take remedial action.

“OK submitted their proposal but it was not approved by the city council because there is a certain amount which they were supposed to pay first. The supermarket went on to conduct renovations without the approval of the local authority. We sent a team to go and investigate and we then ordered them to immediately cease operations to pave way for the renovations as well as waiting for the city council to approve their proposal,” Marerwa said.

OK Zimbabwe Marketing Manager, Chipo Mashingaidze, confirmed that the retail chain group’s Gweru outlet was under renovations.

She, however, could not shed more light on the issue.

“I am aware that our Gweru retail outlet is under renovations. However, I don’t have much detail pertaining to the manner in which the renovations are being conducted. I will have to contact people in charge of such departments and will be able to furnish you with details. I  will get back to you as soon as I get the full details,” she said.