BPRA in home ownership outreach

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has urged Ward 7 residents to change ownership of houses registered under a deceased spouse or relative to avoid losing the properties.

Speaking during a residents meeting held at Stanley Hall on Friday, BPRA vice president, Ms Ntombizodwa Khumalo, said the organisation has embarked on a program to educate residents in the city on the matter, as a lot of people were losing their properties.

“We have sought assistance from lawyers to alert residents of the tragedy that would befall them if they do not change the ownership of the house from a deceased spouse or relative,” said Khumalo.

“We realised that in most of the old locations such as Makokoba, Mzilikazi, Iminyela among others, houses are still in the names of the deceased.

“We then engaged the Town Clerk who promised to assist all those who had availed the required documents to change the ownership of the house”.

Ward 7 councilor Shadreck Sibanda, said he will set a committee to assist him in dealing with some of the issues affecting residents in his area.

“Apart from house repossessions, residents in my ward are facing challenges such as sewer bursts, uncollected refuse, dysfunctional boreholes, unfair distribution of food from the government among others,” said Cllr Sibanda.

“I have identified a number of residents whom we can appoint to the committee to help in tackling some of these problems”.

Cllr Sibanda added:  “This committee will be made up of people from all political parties including those that are not politically affiliated. This will enable each one of them to monitor another in a bid to curb corruption within local authority. I also urge youths in our ward to fruitfully use the internet to research on ways to develop their ward”.

Speaking at the same gathering, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Thobekile Matimbe encouraged the residents to exercise their rights responsibly.

Residents also took time to present their pleas to their councilor.

Linda Madondo, an elderly woman from the area said shebeens have now become too many in their suburb and they cay can longer enjoy their peace.

Youths requested the Councillor to avail programs to cater for school dropouts.