Politicians, personalities fail to pay for land

…BCC threatens to reclaim properties

Prominent politicians, sports personalities, state owned enterprises and companies are part of defaulters who have failed to pay for land acquired from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC).

The local authority this week released a list of defaulters who have failed to pay for their derelict land, warning that they risk losing it if they do not offset their debt in the next 30 days.

BCC’s list of 1009 properties that has not been fully paid for revealed defaulters such as Laurinda Mphoko, wife of former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Dr Gideon Gono; and former Bulawayo deputy mayor, Gift Banda.

Mphoko defaulted payment for her property in Selbourne Park, Dr Gono failed to pay for a lot in Windsor Park while Banda defaulted paying for a property in the city centre.

Other politicians included are former Minister of State for Bulawayo province Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo who defaulted payments for property in Whitestone, former Minister of Water, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo and former Tsholotsho senator, Believe Gaule, both failed to pay for properties in Mahatshula.

National University of Science and Technology’s Acting Deputy Dean of Students, Stylish Magida also defaulted to pay for her property in Selbourne Park.

Anzac Investments belonging to late Vice President Joshua Nkomo defaulted on properties in Mqabuko Heights, Matshemhlophe and Whitestone while the estate of late Jini Ntuta Enock Gwaula (senior member of ZAPU who was killed in cold blood in the 1984) in QueensPark East is also listed on the BCC list.

Religious organisations such as the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) is on the list, having defaulted payment on Woodville and QueensPark West stands.

Some of the sports personalities part of the defaulters list are Zimbabwe Warriors legends Benjani Mwaruwari who owns property in Matshemhlophe and Agent Sawu Benesi in Whitesone.

Government parastatals such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe, defaulted payment for its properties in Tegela, Greenhill, Southwold, Hillcrest, Malindela, Bradfield and in Bulawayo North.

Companies such as Zimre Property Investments failed to pay for several property in Parklands, Tooceetwokay Investiments Private Limited – lots in Buena Vista and Diga properties – lots in Waterlea.

Other notable companies are Bulawayo Glass and Allied Products, Kabanga Enterprises Private Limited, ZimTrade, Project Management and Turnkey project Private Limited having defaulted in paying for stands in Selbourne Park, Manningdale, Sunninghill Township, Share 4 Bindown Flats and Neqi Township respectively.

Anglo Zimbabwe Holdings defaulted payments for Gleneagles Flat while Umbo Mining Company failed to pay for property in Rothbart Mansions.

White Pear Farming Company Private limited is listed for not settling its debt in Willsgrove Park.

In the public notice, BCC said the defaulters had 30 days to pay for their properties.

“Failure to do so will result in Council disposing the said properties in terms of Section 5 of the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act Chapter 20:20 which reads as follows;

Whenever there remains due and unpaid for the space of five years any rate or assessment payable to any municipality or other public body upon any immovable property in Zimbabwe, and such property is abandoned, deserted and left derelict, and the owner thereof cannot be found,

“it shall be lawful for the person or body claiming such rate or assessment to apply to the High Court, stating the amount claimed to be due and the grounds for applying for relief under this Act,” reads the public notice.

The local authority said the affected property owners may contact the City Valuer and Estates Manager on “telephone number 09-75011 Extension 1241/1243 or visit his offices on 9th Floor, Office 913 Tower Block, Robert Mugabe Way/Leopold Takawira Avenue.”