By Sharon Chimenya

THE Masvingo City Council is exploring the option of repossessing undeveloped stands in the Central Business District, which are being used as ranks and vending sites.

Some stands in the city have gone for over 20 years without development and in the recent council minutes of the Health Housing and Environmental Services Committee, the Chamber Secretary, who was the Acting Town Clerk, Vitalis Shonhai, said the local authority had been charging rates as a way of encouraging development.

Some of the committee members felt the local authority should consider repossessing the stands.

“The committee highlighted concern on the number of undeveloped stands in the commonage and Central Business District. The Acting Town Clerk Shonhai advised that most of the owners held title to the land and council was charging rates as a way of encouraging development,” reads part of the minutes.

“The committee highlighted the need to explore repossession of the stands. A proposal was made for making the stand owners to be made liable for any illegal activities taking place on their undeveloped stands.”

Meanwhile, the Director of Housing and Social Services, Simbarashe Mandishona, last month was instructed to submit a report on all churches and the number of stands they were allocated by the local authority.

The city fathers had highlighted the need for availing more stands for indigenous churches and that indigenous church leaders should be engaged, and educated on the importance of church constitutions which enable them to be registered as institutions and therefore stood better prospects of being allocated a stand.

The committee recommended that council creates 20 church stands in the city.

“Consideration was given to the report of the Acting Director of Housing and Social Services on the list of churches and allocations made for church stands by council. It was reported that since 1980, a total of 55 church stands were allocated in Chesvingo, 23 stands were allocated in Rujeko, 33 stands in Mucheke, and 31 stands are on the waiting list. The Acting Director of Housing and Social Services recommended that an average of 20 stands be created for churches. The committee adopted the recommendation.”