THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has appealed to local government July Moyo to intervene in the long-standing dispute between the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and beneficiaries of housing stands who are yet to receive their land.
The dispute involves residential stands mostly in the high-density areas of the city dating back to 2016.
In the letter dated August 22, BPRA coordinator, Emmanuel Ndlovu said they reached out to the minister as the local authority, BPRA and stand beneficiaries have failed to come out with a mutual agreement.
“Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) would like to raise your attention (on) the housing disputes that have risen between Bulawayo City Council and housing stand beneficiaries.
BPRA noted with concern Bulawayo City Council’s continued failure to honour its contractual obligations to offer fully serviced stands to housing stands beneficiaries,” said Ndlovu.
According to Ndlovu, residents purchased residential stands in Tshabalala Extension, Pumula South, Woodville and Magwegwe West from Bulawayo City Council six years ago.
However, the local authority subcontracted private developers who failed to deliver serviced stands.
Recently, BCC ordered the stand beneficiaries to pay top-up amounts as high as US$6000 or local currency equivalent for the local authority to develop their land.
Ndlovu added: “Residents have been left in shock as this means they have to pay for the same stands twice, which breaches all the initial contractual provisions between the local authority and the housing stands beneficiaries.
Further, the local authority continues to engage the beneficiaries on an individual basis which has left the less privileged beneficiaries at a disadvantage as a few elites have agreed to pay top up amounts.”
