BEITBRIDGE urban residents want the Government to investigate their municipality, which
stands accused of alleged corrupt and undue selective allocation of land, some of which is
said to be held by officials for speculative purposes.
Other allegations are that some people with political or financial muscle influence the land
allocations disregarding merit or capacity.
As a result investors are pouring millions of dollars into infrastructure development on leased
rural land rather than title surveyed urban Beitbridge stands.
Investigations showed the sudden increase in rural investments was a response to the
Beitbridge Rural District Council, whose receptiveness and professional approach are
considered an attraction.
Residents have questioned why the land between the suburbs of Mashakada and Mashavire,
south of the incomplete Government residential flats and opposition OJs shops, as an
example of an area the Municipality of Beitbridge (MOB) has failed to allocate for
development despite hundreds of applications.
But MOB Town Clerk, Loud Ramagkapola, said the area in question was the new central
business district being planned, but would not explain why no potential investors have been
allocated that land.
Ramagkapola said he had actually provided a heads-up to the reporter, who should use
more information he had on the story.
You have more information than myself…I think I have given you heads up, Ramagkapola
said in response to a long list of questions regarding land allocations and several applications
MOB is yet to respond to in many years.
In particular was an application by the Beitbridge Business Expo, a growing concern
structured along the model of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, which brings together
traders and service departments for exhibition to market them.
Beitbridge Business Expo, of which MOB is a member, and another private individual have
applied to build a showground on behalf of the local authority, which is still considering its
own application.
This is despite that during the course of the expo, all Beitbridge sporting activities stop
because exhibitions are held in Dulivhadzimo Stadium, the only public assembly facility in
Beitbridge.
Ramagkapola, who is also on the Business Expo executive, said: The application is still
under consideration, this despite knowledge the local authority has no capacity to build
anything.
Beitbridge officials have been accused of allocating land to themselves or their close relatives
for speculative purposes. Most stands in the new residential areas and business complexes are
said to be owned by council officials.
Other land is owned by politicians from both the ruling party, and the opposition, which runs
affairs of the border town.
The Government should move in and investigate. I am very sure that many stands for
businesses at HaMbedzi and HaMangavha complexes were first owned by MOB officers,
who later sold to other people, who later developed them.
“Over the years, a lot of corrupt allocation of land took place and a proper audit will reveal
this rot, said a businessman, who said he bought a stand from a Beitbridge council official.
Government must probe why people do not respond to applications. There are complaints of
files disappearing in the housing offices. Government must find out. Why are there no
services? Why do we constantly have breakdowns of sewers, water supply and almost all
services? Why is land not being allocated yet there is plenty of it?
He said in some cases the same people who have gotten land continued to get more amid
allegations some businessmen bribe officials for land favours.
It does not only end there; even during construction, developers pay a lot of money to
officials for approval of various stages during construction. The corrupt practice is almost
normal and results in many investors opting for land outside Beitbridge town, alleged the
businessman.
Some people have been asked to pay money after failing to find their housing files and this
all reflects badly on Government, which should set up an inquiry.
Some multi-million dollar structures that could have improved the face of Beitbridge have
been built in awkward places as officials speculate at the expense of development.
