BULAWAYO City Council is embroiled in a dispute with its central business district (CBD) tenants over the occupation of a flat in town.
The local authority wants to evict resident at Lyndhurst flat in the CBD and they are resisting.
According to some of the residents, who spoke to Southern Eye on condition of anonymity, they have been unfairly disadvantaged by “those close to corrupt officials”.
“They had initially said they needed only eight flats, so then they apparently got into an agreement with those occupants and they moved out,” the resident said.
“Their argument was that they want to accommodate a few council workers, but now it’s clear that it was a grand plan all along to evict everyone.”
Eileen Bishop (68) said she was kicked out like a dog.
“I am now destitute. I moved out in May, but strangely enough, they are still billing me. I have grandchildren who are at primary school in town, but now we have a challenge,” she said.
“Imagine how I will transport them to school? I have been living here with my husband for the past 44 years, a good resident of Bulawayo paying my rent and bills on time. Where must I go now that I am being kicked around like a dog?”
She said she suspected that there may be some shady deals happening because even after she moved, her flat is still not occupied.
She said when she checked with council officers, they told her they were renovating the flat before the next occupant moved in.
“I am at someone’s house in Kingsdale, but she has told me that she will need the place back as her children are coming back in December. Each time I see her approaching I shake my head say ‘oh no, tonight is the night to move out’. I am traumatised by what the city council has done,” she said.
“I really need help if I can get my place back because even the council lawyer, Mr Moyo, said he is unaware of the claim that was made in court that council will give us stands.
“We just saw the messenger coming and threatened to withhold my things if I don’t move out. I had no choice, I was scared. My property is now scattered all over the place.”
Well-placed sources said the move was being made to accommodate council workers and those who may benefit from their proximity.
Ward 1 councillor Josiah Mutangi, who has been described as “the people’s Moses” for fighting in the residents’ corner, condemned the move.
“Do you know that they evicted a woman who has a sick child, so sick that he can’t even move while the other one has serious depression? These are the very people who need assistance and support from the community, but now we are kicking them out: How [does that happen]?” he said.
“Moreover, this application of the law is strange because it is not universal. They select who to evict. The poor evictees went to the courts for an intervention to no avail.
“As a representative of ward 1, I am not for what is happening. Whoever is making that decision, whether it’s the city management, they should sit down with these victims and find common ground by providing an alternative. Remember, these children have not done anything wrong in all this. They are innocent, but they are suffering.”