Retired Bulawayo civil servant Caleb Nxumalo currently occupying one of the houses at the government-owned Mabutweni Messengers’ Camp is facing eviction from the property after overstaying.
This comes at a time when the government is still digging in on granting 33 families at the camp ownership of the houses.
While similar houses in Entumbane and other parts of the country such as Harare have since been handed over to sitting tenants, efforts to have the same happen for Mabutweni have hit a snag, a development which has made occupants feel they are being discriminated against.
Nxumalo has since been ordered by the courts to leave the premises by November 30, 2022.
“I have been working in the Ministry of Local Government in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province,” Nxumalo told CITE.
“I have served the government for 37 years. I reside at Mabutweni Messengers’ Camp here in Bulawayo and I retired last year having already developed a problem with my leg. I have been waiting for compensation but up to now I have not received anything.”
Nxumalo urged the government to consider his plight and that of one of the other occupants.
“I was given a three-month notice to vacate this house,” he said.
“Upon receiving that notice, I told the authorities that I was still trying to have my compensation papers fixed as well as my pension. I have however exceeded those three months here. I have now been served with an eviction order from the court. I have been given one month’s notice to leave this house.”
He further explained: “Before all this, as Mabutweni Messengers’ Camp residents, we had written a letter requesting the President to look into our accommodation issue since we never benefited from any of the government’s housing schemes. We had also requested that the new dispensation give us ownership of these houses which are now very old and no longer serviced.”
He said it was unfortunate that some occupants had since retired before the issue could be finalised.
“However, I am not refusing to vacate this house, we however appeal to the President that we be given title deeds,” he said.
“We served this government but it seems there are no benefits for that. I had thought the courts would sympathise with me but they did not care or even consider the years I served the government.”
