By Correspondent
The late ZANU PF member JS Omar’s company, Granary Investments, has been accused of fleecing desperate stand owners seeking to register their properties with the Zvimba Rural District Council.
Zvimba RDC recently announced plans to regularise various locations, including those under Granary Investments, such as Granary Park and Rydale Ridge.
However, the developer is accused of taking advantage of the developments to levy a raft of charges on the residents, holding them to ransom before they can register with Zvimba.
According to reports by residents, the developer is demanding nearly US$3000 before he can process a resident to register with Zvimba RDC.
Exorbitant Charges
“We visited the developer’s officers, and what was demanded is shocking”, one resident who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said.
“They said one has to pay US$230 to get a confirmation letter of having completed payments and another US$750, which he purports is meant for Zvimba RDC.
“We don’t know what that is for.
“Then he is saying one has to pay ten percent of the total stand price.
“The stand prices are US$12 000, so he wants US$1200, which is very strange considering that one would have completed buying the stand.
“This is daylight robbery because Zvimba RDC only needs US$81 for one to be registered into the system,” he said.
Another resident has reached out to Zvimba to help in the situation.
Residents Rendered Vulnerable
“May you please lay out in chronological order the stages of regularisation and payments for each stage.
“We have noticed with great concern that developers are arm-twisting individuals to pay the regularisation fee through their offices.
“In some cases, they are demanding amounts ranging from $379 to $650.
“(Yet) they only pay $81 for one to be entered into the billing system, and the rest is pocketed by the developer as an admin fee.
“When you, as Council, allow developers to act as a go-between, it allows developers to inflate regularisation costs.
“It discourages regularisation and exposes individuals to exploitation, hence the appeal to your office to clearly state all the stages involved.
No official from Granary Investments could be contacted to provide a response to these allegations.
Meanwhile, Zvimba RDC has had to extend its deadline from June 30 to August 1 as many residents have failed to register due to the steep charges placed by the developer.
In a statement, the Local Authority urged residents to take advantage of the changes.
“Notice is hereby given that Zvimba RDC will continue to be stationed at the Showgrounds and all District Offices to coordinate and facilitate the regularisation of properties, servicing and land management within Zvimba District.
“All residents, developers and property owners are urged to take advantage of this extended period to complete their regularisation”, it said.
Areas that are being regularised include Rydale Ridge, Glen View 1and 2 Extension, Whitecliff (Pfugari), Darwendale Kopje, Part of Warwickshire, Doorfontein and Remainder of Heaney Farm, under which fall Snake Park and Granary Park.
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