Government To Intervene In Bulawayo Stands Saga

The central government is set to intervene in the Bulawayo stands saga to assist residents whose stands were not serviced by developers despite residents having paid in full for their servicing.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Paul Nyoni told the Sunday News that they were scheduled to meet with all stakeholders to map a way forward.

Reports suggest that developers stopped servicing stands after failing to get paid in United States dollars by the council at a time when the country was using the local currency rated at par with the US$.

_We sat with people who bought stands at Emganwini and Magwegwe last week. We will arrange a meeting with the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs, Cde Judith Ncube, property developers and the beneficiaries, where BCC will be given an opportunity to give their official position, after that Government will take it from there, to see how best to handle the issue._

The Town Clerk, Mr Dube said it was their wish that they come up with an amicable solution to the matter. Dube said:

_Right now, from where we stand, we cannot be going to residents to ask them to pay but we would very much appreciate if it becomes their own initiative that they come together as beneficiaries and help fund these projects to ease the burden on council. The truth of the matter is that we have good intentions for all these projects because we do not want the residents to feel prejudiced but we do not have the required money at hand, we are doing the best we can with the little we have._

Residents said they wanted the local authority to do away with private developers to avoid a similar situation.

More: Pindula News; The Sunday News