UMGUZA Rural District council, stung by an order by the High Court last year to stop demolitions of houses at Reigate Compound, has reportedly made life unbearable for tenants, by destroying some amenities such as toilets, community halls and disconnecting water, in a bid to force them out of the area.
The tenants got an order last year, barring the council from further destroying their houses.
Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokhuthula Moyo stopped any further demolitions at the compound without the authority of the court after residents had filed an application against the council, which had already torn down seven houses.
However, the council has adopted a new tactic of demolishing buildings which were not mentioned in the court to force the residents to leave the place.
The residents’ lawyer Kossam Ncube yesterday confirmed the new development.
“I received information that the council stopped demolishing houses, but were targeting infrastructure such as toilets, community halls and disconnecting water to the residents to make their stay unbearable and force them to move out of the place,” he said.
The Umguza council falls under Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu’s constituency and his wife, Sikhanyisiwe, was chairperson of the council until her election as Senator in last year’s polls.
Reigate residents, according to court papers, were staying at the compound legitimately, as they have receipts from the council acknowledging payment of rent and they have certificates of occupancy from the council dating back to 2011, which were produced in the High Court as part of evidence record.
