The Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities,
Daniel Garwe said this after conducting a tour of the suburb last week.
Garwe said River Valley Properties neither followed
procedure nor sought approval from EMA and Gweru City Council when it developed
the suburb and as a result Woodlands is not only located near a dumpsite but it
is in a pollution belt of an industrial area and a large section of it is
sitting on a wetland.
The delegation which included the Minister of State for
Midlands Province Larry Mavima also visited Ascot Extension and Montrose where
stands were allocated in wetlands.
Efforts by The Mirror to get a comment from one of the
senior officials at River Valley Properties, Smelly Dube were fruitless.
Garwe said the demolition of the suburb will be anytime
soon and the land developer will be responsible for compensating the affected
residents.
“Government policy is very clear on wetlands and l will be
very clear that all houses on wetlands will be demolished.
“We now need a detailed report on the settlement so that we
are adequately informed on whether it’s feasible to relocate the dumpsite and
leave people here.
“Whatever decision we take, the costs will be met by the
developer. If we decide to move the dumpsite and leave the people which is
unlikely, the developer will still meet the costs of building a new dumpsite,”
said Garwe.
EMA Midlands Provincial Manager Benson Bhasera told the
Minister that River Valley did not follow procedure during the development of
the suburb.
“River Valley did not follow procedure, an Environmental
Impact Assessment was not done and this is why the location is within the area
of a dumpsite plus it is also within the industrial pollution belt,” said
Bhasera.
The Minister also condemned the drainage and sewer systems
at Woodlands and described the roads as a nightmare because of their narrowness
and bad state. Masvingo Mirror
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