Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC), one of the key signatories of the remainder of Buffalo Range’s 750ha land development has warned people against purchasing unserviced land.
The local authority also asked those who had purchased stands from Full Life Open Arms Africa Investments (FLOAAI) to report to the Zimbabwe Republic Police saying the local authority together with Chiredzi Town Council had the sole responsibility of selling land.
Giving a press statement at Council Boardroom recently, Chairperson, Aspect Mashingaidze said all those who were paying stands to FLOAAI should report fraud charges against the land developer whom he said had no land in Chiredzi.
“The signed land development agreement did not authorize the developer to sell unserviced stands. In tandem with government policy, your council would like to categorically state that it has not approved selling of unserviced stands by whosoever in this project.
“Those who have already paid should report to the police. Teachers should come forward to the local authority to partner in these schemes than going to the developer because at the end we are going to report them to the police,” said Mashingaidze.
Mashingaidze also highlighted that FLOAAI had exhibited unprofessional conduct including refusal to share the copy of the loan document borrowed towards financing of the project.
“The remainder of Buffalo Range 750 hectare Housing project was earmarked to ensure that our communities’ dreams and aspirations of owning affordable stands within an urban area of this magnitude are realized. Chiredzi RDC has of late noted and raised serious concerns with the developer about the unprofessional conduct that has derailed the implementation of this housing project.
“Of particular importance to note is the refusal by the developer to avail and share with council a copy of the loan agreement he borrowed towards financing the housing project and also the slow pace of development that is being witnessed at the project site,” said Mashingaidze.
Though the two councils, CTC and CRDC formed a joint venture in 2014 for purposes of developing the allocated 750ha of state land and through that Joint Venture Committee, the two councils entered into partnership to develop the land in question with FLOAAI.