Seven people renting Zimasco houses in Shurugwi were
arrested when they tried to resist eviction.
The seven spent the night at Shurugwi Police Station and
were released yesterday after paying a fine of $500 each.
One of those arrested, Mr Tinago Nguluve, said they
resisted eviction because they felt that what the company had done was not
procedural.
“We did not receive any notice or letters of demand but we
only saw the police coming to take our property out saying we had been evicted,”
he said.
Mr Nguluve said the majority of the evicted former Zimasco
tenants were now stranded.
“We are still living in the open and some have erected
temporary shelter outside the houses they used to occupy. We were not prepared
for this and we don’t know what to do,” he said.
Mrs Loveness Chirinda said she has been sleeping in the
open with her family including a three months old baby.
“It is a difficult situation we are in. It is actually
shocking because I have been paying my rent every month and I have been
acknowledging my arrears with the company,” she said.
Zimasco general manager, Mr Reason Mandimika confirmed the
evictions.
“The evictions are in accordance with the law and as a
company, we have issued a detailed press statement, which was published in the
media today (yesterday),” he said.
In the statement, Zimasco said it had been facing
challenges with rental payments with the tenants who were being evicted.
“Over the past several years, Zimasco has experienced
problems with certain tenants who have refused to regularise their stay through
the signing of lease agreements and also refused to pay the required lease
fees,” read part of the statement by Zimasco.
Shurugwi Councillor, Cde Freddy Ncube however condemned the
evictions saying the company should have given the tenants some time to look
for alternative accommodation.
“The move is inhumane because there was no notice, people
saw lawyers coming with the police and started effecting the evictions,” he
said.
The ferrochrome producer, which is leasing the majority of
its housing in Shurugwi town caught many of its tenants by surprise when it
started evicting them on Tuesday morning with the help of the police. Herald
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