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Nolia Sibanda (left) presents a blanket and a bar of soap to Precious Mlambo, one of the victims whose house was demolished at Willsgrove Farm recently

Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
ABOUT 20 families have been sleeping in the open at Willsgrove Farm in Umguza District since the demolition of their homes last week by the Deputy Sheriff. The families say they will remain at the farm pending the determination of their case at the High Court against their eviction. Yesterday, World Vision and Christian Faith Fellowship church donated goods worth about $3,000 to the affected families. The goods included 77 blankets, 300 bars of soap, second hand clothes and shoes sourced from well-wishers.

Bishop Albert Chatindo of Christian Faith Fellowship church handed over the goods to about 120 people who gathered to receive the hand-outs.

“The situation here is desperate, people need food. They also need blankets, because when you’ve two blankets and you’re inside the house, it’s ok but when you’re sleeping outside you need more due to the weather. World Vision donated blankets and clothing that we’re distributing today,” said Bishop Chatindo.

He said his church has been distributing soya chunks and cabbages in the past few days to the affected families but they needed more food.

Monica Nyika, whose house was also brought down said they were in dire need of food.

The area’s headman Moffat Ncube who lost about 1,000 chickens during the evictions thanked World Vision for the timely donation.

The Chronicle has established that Willsgrove Farm is owned by Radar Properties. The company is working on a huge residential development project that will incorporate schools, a hospital, a fire station, a technical college, a police station, churches, shopping malls and recreational facilities.

“Upon approval, the property will yield a total of about 10,000 residential stands. The properties in question include Lot 14 of Willsgrove, Remainder of Willsgrove, farm 1, Farm 2, and Cement Station. According to the Bulawayo Master Plan, all the properties are zoned for residential purposes, except for Farm 1 and Cement Station, which are zoned for industrial purposes,” said a source, who declined to be named. The source said the properties are outside the Bulawayo city boundary, but within the Bulawayo Master Plan boundary.

Meanwhile, Bishop Chatindo claimed that a 67 year-old man allegedly went insane while another one was hospitalised and treated for shock after their homes were demolished.

The two are Mkhunjulwa Sibanda and Gilbert Moyo who is in his 50s whose property was moved and dumped near Manningdale suburb last week.

Bishop Chatindo told The Chronicle that Sibanda was heavily traumatised by the evictions and eventually lost his mind.

He said Sibanda reportedly ran in front of an oncoming motor cycle shouting that it was blinding him with its lights and it hit him although he was not seriously injured.

“Moyo was also rushed to hospital after showing symptoms that he was losing his mind and was treated for shock and trauma and later discharged,” he said.

Ncube confirmed that Sibanda lost his mind and was admitted to Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital.