Tenants renting houses at Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting
Company (Zimasco) in Shurugwi have enlisted the ruling party, Zanu PF, to help
stop the mining company from hiking rentals that they claim are already too
exorbitant, Southern Eye has learnt.
The lodgers are resisting a hike of rentals from $30 for a
four-roomed house to an average $90.
According to minutes of a meeting held last month at
Batanai Hall in Shurugwi, which was attended by Zimasco Private Tenants’
Association (ZIPTA), residents, Zanu PF provincial member R Nyathi, Zanu PF
ward 1 councillor Janet Mukokanduku and Shurugwi assistant district
administrator, Desmond Gumbochuma, the tenants said they were failing to pay
rentals on time because they were too high.
There were, however, no Zimasco officials at the meeting. “Residents said the rentals are too high,” part of the
minutes dated July 12 read.
“They would be comfortable paying the suggested rentals of
$25, $17, $15 and $10 for four, three, two and one-roomed houses respectively.”
They (tenants) said the rentals should not be hiked because
the houses were dilapidated and have poor sanitation services.
The tenants also alleged that Zimasco had started evictions
over non-payment of rentals without agreement with relevant stakeholders.
“On the issue of evictions, Mr Nyathi (a Zanu PF provincial
member) said that no evictions should be effected by Zimasco without the
knowledge of the DA’s Office, party (Zanu PF) office and ZIPTA, as agreed by
the Zimasco leadership,” part of the minutes read.
The minutes showed the evictions were “ill-advised”
considering that “we are approaching the general elections of 2018” and that
the failure by Zimasco to take action could be because they have a “hidden
political agenda”.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Zimasco were
fruitless. Newsday
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