By Correspondent
City of Harare has cancelled all the 213 stands in Budiriro 5 Extension despite strenuous opposition from residents in the flood-prone area.
Acting Town Planner Samuel Nyabeze said all the residents had to be moved away.
The area has been a perennial victim of flooding and last season a child drowned.
“We identified 213 stands as unsuitable and though a few are not affected, they cannot exist alone as that isn’t viable.
“As we speak there are no (recognised) stands there. Nyabeze said some cooperative leader have since tried to defend their stands.
“Few weeks down the line we were approached by one of the cooperatives.
“They said we used our money to develop the area and went further to consult engineers and EMA.
He said they even brought corroborative documents.
“However, we said fine, we will consult on our own but as things stand there are no stands.
Council has since identified alternative areas for the residents.
“We identified some layout plans being done by Council like the Mabvuku-Tafara area.
“We have three in particular and there are over 2000 stands,” he said.
Government recently relocated around 40 families to the newly built Dzivaresekwa Flats.
However, some victims of the floods in Budiriro are refusing to be relocated.
