Hundreds of former mineworkers who were facing eviction from their homes have been rescued by President Mnangagwa after a change of ownership almost rendered them homeless.
The majority of the workers used to work for the
now-defunct Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP) Minerals Zimbabwe (Pvt) (Ltd) and are
residents in the towns of Chegutu and Norton.
After the collapse of BHP, another mining company stepped
in and threatened to evict the former workers from their homes.
However, after being briefed of the workers’ plight
President Mnangagwa intervened, giving the former mineworkers a lifeline.
Speaking in Chegutu last Friday during the Zanu PF Star
Rally ahead of the 26 March by-elections, President Mnangagwa warned concerned
mining companies against ejecting occupants.
“I have been informed by the provincial chairman (Cde) Mary
Mliswa-Chikoka and (Chegutu West) Member of Parliament, Cde Dexter Nduna that
some companies, including those that are into mining are seeking to evict the
former workers. This should stop! You are not going to evict the occupants and
this cannot be argued.
“I’m told that there are also many who have been occupying
houses for close to 40 years paying rates but have not been given the chance to
buy them. As the Second Republic, we have made it a point that all urban
householders should be given title deeds so that the properties help them and
the next generations.
“We cannot let people be evicted under our watch and these
companies should be guided accordingly. Apart from making this firm decree that
you shouldn’t be evicted; we are also going to ensure that you get title
deeds,” the President said.
Last year President Mnangagwa launched the Zimbabwe
National Human Settlements Policy (ZNHSP), to spearhead the development of
modern and affordable urban and rural human settlements and social amenities in
a co-ordinated and sustainable manner.
Plans are underway to issue life-changing title deeds for
urban dwellers with the first batch of the security documents expected to be
issued later this month.
Speaking after the rally, Cde Nduna told The Herald that
residents in Chegutu Ward 2 and 11 had been facing an uncertain future before
President Mnangagwa’s intervention.
“Regrettably, over two decades down the line, Zimplats is
still to donate these houses to the former employees, some of whom are now
deceased and left their dependants in occupation of the same . . . I hereby
appeal to the President to intervene and direct Zimplats to donate the said
houses to the tenants who are either former employees of BHP and or their
dependants,” he said.
Cde Nduna told The Herald that there were hundreds of
families in Ward 10 and thousands in Ward 9 that were occupying Elvington Mine
and Chegutu Municipality’s houses for over 40 years but having no entitlement
to the properties.
Zimplats undertook to donate housing units surplus to its
requirements in the two towns to former employees who had been affected by the
closure of BHP in 1999.
However, Zimplats through its lawyers Dube, Manikai and
Hwacha legal practitioners, in January this year, were granted the right to
evict one Simbarashe Muza who occupied house number 24200, Umvovo, Chegutu.
Muza, who is fighting eviction at the Supreme Court,
claimed he has the right to occupy the residence as many other residents who
were previously employed by BHP.
In various interviews conducted by The Herald, some former
employees who have been staying in the houses since the late 90s applauded
President Mnangagwa’s intervention. Herald
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