By Rex Mphisa
THE Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC) has seemingly been dragged into the Kwalu 2 housing development dispute between the Engineering Department of Council and one councillor on one side, against close to 400 property owners, the Municipality of Beitbridge (MoB) itself and seven councillors on the other.
The dispute, appearing more civil than criminal, smells more of internal power struggles at MoB, rather than a real case of corruption.
ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu could not immediately answer as to what her organisation’s handful of officers camped at MoB for more than three days from last Friday, were investigating.
“Please put your questions and all you are saying in writing so I can forward to the relevant department,” Mlevu said on Monday.
No response had been received by Wednesday.
That day a handful of ZACC officers attended to hordes of puzzled residents summoned to bring their property documents and make guided statements against an unknown accused.
“We have been given a template to make statements as to how we got to own our stands. We have been asked to provide copies of all documents and receipts of any payments relating to those properties,” said a woman speaking to Ziyah News Network.
“They want letters inviting us to buy the stands (offer letters) and copies of any documents, receipts or anything related to those houses we are building,” she said on strict conditions of anonymity.
Together with other dozens of property owners from the disputed section of Kwalu 2, the woman was instructed to write identical statements against an unknown accused suspect believed to be Alpha International Land Developers.
ZACC officers had different stand owners in class interviews held in the council boardroom.
“If you had a property in the concerned area we would be able to assist you,” one of the officers told Ziyah News Network.
Beitbridge town clerk Loud Ramakgapola referred all questions to MoB lawyer Patrick Tererai of Tererai Legal Practice who was brief.
“My client (MoB) has a Memorandum of Understanding with Alpha International Land Developers as regards Kwalu 2. All stands in that area were properly designed by known relevant authorities and this is an issue that has been receiving attention,” he said.
The Kwalu 2 story is more than what meets the eye and has unsettled close to 400 residents who genuinely bought land to build homes.
For some funny reason, the same residents now bear the brunt of what appears a power struggle within the corridors of MoB pitying the Engineering led by its director Douglas Siphuma against his boss Ramakgapola.
In March this year Siphuma, without the permission of Ramakgapola, served residents with orders to demolish their structures allegedly for being on unauthorised land.
The Demolition Orders signed by him gave these developers until April 2 this year restore land to its original state.
Siphuma, in those orders, cited the problem as being upstream of the town’s supplier dam number two and said any sewer bursts were likely to flow in the water reservoir.
He however forgot having been on the Environmental Impact Assessment panel that approved the same project and had even addressed the issue under spotlight and appended his signature, a copy of which thi publication is in holder of.
Another reason was non inspection of the houses some which are occupied as of now.
“It only exposes the Engineering Department itself, how would people build, complete and occupy houses not inspected under their watch? They were sleeping on duty ” a senior Zanu PF politician said.
But Ramakgapola said there were remedial solutions to amicably address the matter effectively putting paid the demolition orders.
Just like what Tererai told Ziyah, Alpha International Land Developers and MoB had a way.
Problems at MoB appear deep seated and a scramble for the town clerk’s office and dereliction of duty on part of some departments appear deliberate to undermine Ramakgapola.
Some officers at MoB are believed to be backed by top political leaders and are viewed as untouchables.
“This is what has kills development because some people say they will run to the top politicians which works against development preached by President Mnangagwa daily,” said the ruling party member.