A Harare panel beater from q lwas left counting loses after a makeshift 200 000-litre canvas tank used to store water by a water purifying company Wellpure, burst, felling a precast wall, destroying several vehicles under repair.
The estimated cost of the damage is US$7200, according to the panel beater, Antony Ruvoko who operates from Adbernie.
Two Toyota Runx cars, a single canopy, a Nissan Caravan minibus and a two-tons truck steel cage as well as several vehicle doors stocked for fixing cars were destroyed.
Ruvoko reported the matter at Stodart Police Station on November 15 after Wellpure allegedly dithered on compensation.
He said the accident happened on November 12.
Representing Wellpure, one Abdul brought in an external panel beater seeking quotations for the repair of the cars, but the panel beater refused.
Abdul then offered to pay only US$500 on top of repairing the cage, but Ruvoko rejected the offer and this forced him to report the matter to the police.
He reported the matter under RRB6193636 and was told to report back the following day.
He arrived at the police station at 0800hrs and Abdul only reported at 1000hrs after being called by the acting member in charge, one Matsotse.
When Abdul arrived, according to Ruvoko, Matsotse was standing at the entrance of the charge office.
He immediately pushed Abdul to his office where they had a closed-door meeting.
After an hour, Matsotse came out and was rushed to Abdul’s car and proceeded to the accident site.
At the site, he went to Abdul’s office and after some time, invited Ruvoko and told him that he was persuading Abdul to settle the matter.
Ruvuko allegedly refused and threatened to refer the matter to the National Social Security Authority so that it can compensate the loss,
Ironically, NSSA only compensates injuries on human beings and not damage to property.
NSSA can only investigate whether structures were built according to set standards.
After four days, Ruvoko returned to the police demanding contact details of the investigating officer, who told him he had not yet received the document.
Matsotse referred questions to the provincial spokesperson, Luckmore Chakanza, who wasnot reachable.
When Abdul was asked for a comment, a woman who answered the phone said the matter was under police investigation.
Thereafter, she said: “I have no comment.”