A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony for the proposed Maqhoba Chef De Grand Smart City, which drew local artistes, community members and various stakeholders, was abruptly halted by police after authorities declared that the land in question belonged to Bulawayo City Council.
The event, organised by the Community Development Council (CDC), the Provincial Interim Development Committee and the Notified Area for Maqhoba Chef De Grand City, was already underway when police arrived and dispersed the gathering on Thursday last week.
The proposed site, Lot 32 of subdivision of Helenvale block, is located between Cowdray Park and the Nyamandlovu Road.
Residents and performers, who had gathered for the event were ordered to vacate the area immediately.
“We were shocked. Everything had been set — the stage, tents, people were seated and artistes were ready to perform. Then suddenly the police came and said the land did not belong to the organisers,” Ivy Ndlovu, a resident, who attended the event, told Southern Eye.
CDC national chairperson Philani Sibanda said they had- applied to the courts and approached the Local Government and Public Works ministry who gave them the go- ahead to develop the proposed area.
“We had organised a ground- breaking ceremony for the development of Maqhoba Chef De Grand Smart City which is meant to develop Cowdray and other surrounding areas,” he said.
“We applied at the high court to develop the area under our company Sphathamandla Maqhoba Investments. The police initially told us to come and collect the clearance to host the event but at the last minute we were told that we can no longer continue with the event. They threatened to shoot us if we did not vacate the area. Artistes and residents were dispersed in a painful manner.”
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Sibanda said the government had allowed them to develop Bulawayo with places like Chitungizwa in mind.
However, the police said Sibanda and his company did not own the land.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele referred all inquiries to council.
A letter dated March 25, 2023, from the Local Government and Public Works ministry gave Sphathamamdla Maqhoba the go-ahead to embark on the construction and development of Maqhoba Chef De Grand Smart City on the land in question.
