By Rex Mphisa
THE Municipality of Beitbridge (MoB) and their benefactor businessman Samson Madzore are embroiled in what every level headed person would describe as a stupid battle.
They are fighting over a toilet, in fact, whether it should be there or not, and yet it is a health requirement.
While the argument rages on, and MoB may have won the first round securing a Court Order to have the toilet demolished, it faces censor from health authorities if it approves a shops complex without toilets.
“I will be going on the ground to see how we can go about it. I should be in town on Saturday and will go on site to see the situation and whether we can regularise it or not,” Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola said on Wednesday.
For Madzore, the whole scene appears a circus and a mixture of politics, administrative confusion and thanklessness on part of MoB.
After failing to build its shops at the Dulivhadzimu Bus Terminus, it incidentally is failing to finish, MoB advertised for a Build, Operate and Transfer project for the same shops.
Madzore won the tender and was provided with plans devoid of any toilets.
The first set showed toilets near a mobile phone company network mast.
That plan and its development permit as seen by Ziyah News Network has approval stamps of the MoB Environmental and planning office.
Armed with that, Madzore built a beautiful complex and he will run it for some time to recoup his costs before handing the same to council.
All stages of the construction were passed by relevant MoB departments, despite lacking a toilet.
When the mistake was noticed Madzore sought approval from MoB and he says was given a go-ahead to build the toilet by some in the engineering department.
“But they made a U-turn and refused and even took me to court where ruling was in their favour,” he said.
But consistent with his statements Madzore has two plans, the initial one and the one he says was made at the offices after their arguments started.
After losing the court Madzore approached the Minister of Local Government Daniel Garwe who is cuŕently handling the issue.
“The problems arose after council flighted another tender for a toilet just behind me but outside the bus terminus area. I am saying my toilet is wuthin the bus rank area where it should be. So we are going to have shops without a toilet? Where on earth have you seen such honestly,” he asked.
He said even the lease agreement was altered and he had been asked to sign another one that he refused to sign because he felt goalposts were shifted with each development.
Asked if he could finish building the bus terminus which has taken MoB many years to finish, Madzore said it was a plan he had but soured relationships killed development.
In his letter to Garwe Madzore seeks the Miinister to ask MoB to regularise.
“We are requesting for your esteemed intervention at least to investigate the whole tender process and the challenges we are facing and to unearth several breaches of contract on the part of Council,” reads part of the letter.
Madzore requested an investigation into why MoB issued a development permit for a Complex without a toilet and why they are succumbing to the interests of a rival businessman.
He further asked that MoB presents factual complaints from NET ONE on infringements on their “servitude”, which 8s being alleged.
He felt inside the Municipality there were some workers not keen to do their work.
“At the moment my occupation certificates have not been signed but I need return on investment. I put money in this,” he said.
A visit on site by Ziyah News Network revealed a set of shops on the southern part of the terminus which has been spoilt by old equipment abandoned by a contractor who failed to complete the rank.
The delay also means Madzore who is expected to hand over the building to MoB in 10 years, will continue staying while the local authority loses money in rentals.