Tinaani Nyabereka
GWERU City Council (GCC) has identified over 60 buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) that need urgent attention and renovations to meet acceptable standards.
This was said by Gweru City Council official Tapiwa Marerwa during a City Council business engagement meeting held recently at the Mayor’s parlour.
Marerwa pointed out that GCC carried out an inspection exercise following complaints by some stakeholders over the state of buildings in the city.
He however, warned that the local authority will not hesitate to demolish buildings with structural defects.
“We have summoned the respective owners of these buildings to take corrective measures but in the case of buildings with structural defects, these will be demolished, there is no going back on that,” said Marerwa.
Some of the buildings are now believed to be posing danger to residents and face closure if the highlighted issues are not addressed.
“We have been approached by various stakeholders with complaints that our buildings are in a bad state. Most of them are generally not being maintained making them inhabitable and not fit to be used.
“It is a requirement at law for us as a local authority to make sure that the owners of these buildings have addressed the anomalies,” he said.
He further added after inspections they realized that one of the major problems with most buildings in the city had to do with roofs that are collapsing.
“While some have cracks, others have paint peeling off and there are a number of buildings that have been abandoned.
“Council was in the process of engaging owners of these buildings so that they can address the flagged areas,” he added.
