…Swop deal involving parent ministry weighed in
TellZim reporter
At last Masvingo City Council seems to somehow have given in to demands by SIMBI Steel to have an additional 125 hectares (ha) of land on top of the 65 ha they already had albeit a swop deal involving Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
Minutes of council’s public works and planning committee meeting held on November 24, 2022 confirmed the development saying council would be given plus/minus 400 ha of remaining Clipsham area land by their parent ministry.
“Consideration was given to the report of the Acting Director of Engineering Services on the offer of land by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, for a swop deal wherein the ministry would allocate ± 400 hectares of land in the remainder of Clipsham in exchange for 125 hectares allocated to SIMBI in Westview Industrial Area. The swop deal was approved by the committee.
“Resolved to recommend that the swop deal with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for the City of Masvingo to get ± 400 hectares in remainder of Clipsham, in exchange of 125 hectares provisionally allocated to SIMBI (Pvt) Limited in Westview Industrial area be granted,” read the minutes.
The proposed expansion by the steel making company raised eyebrows a few months ago and got residents and other stakeholders’ tongues wagging after the company requested Masvingo city to sell them vast tracts of land at a lower rate of US$ 0.40 instead of US$ 4.00 per square meter.
Residents were sceptical of such a deal as they felt something unusual was brewing behind the scenes with fingers pointing to alleged corruption on the part of council especially councillors.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) director Anoziva Muguti clearly stated residents position that they were disapproving such a deal amid controversial circumstances engulfing its inception.
Muguti said though they welcome the developmental move, they would appreciate it if the company paid for the land at a commercial rate after reaching 70 percent utilization of the already acquired 65 ha.
Initially four councillors namely Alderman Selina Maridza (ward 1), Deputy Mayor Wellington Mahwende (ward 6), Against Chiteme (ward 8) and Sengerayi Manyanga (ward 10) were believed to have pushed the deal through though allegations of underhand dealings were suspected.
Back then, Mayor Collen Maboke insisted that council would not be swayed into undercharging the land saying the developers with interests should pay the set amounts other than negotiating downwards.
