City of Cape Town takes over Zim gvt property
06/10/2010 18:16:00
Cape Town – The city of Cape Town has taken over a property in the city
belonging to the Zimbabwean government and drove out hundreds of homeless
Zimbabweans who had found sanctuary on it saying it is not fit for human
habitation.
The property in the centre of Cape Town’s at number 55 and 53 Kuyper Street
is one of many others that a group of Zimbabwean farmers want
to execute as compensation claim for losing the farms under President Robert
Mugabe’s controversial land reform programme of 2000. South African
television ETV reported that the city had taken over the
house and is renovating it at a cost of R 300 000 which expects to get back
from the Zimbabwean government failure of which the property will
be put under the hammer.
A city of Cape Town official told the television station that the property
had become inhabitable and was way out of the city’s standards. He said they
had initially thought of destroying it but
opted to renovate and make it fit for habitation. The building, which has
been vandalized since the consulate closed in 2006, is still listed on the
Internet as a functioning consulate.
Media reports say the property which is still owned by the Zimbabwean
government still has to pay the City of Cape Town outstanding rates
amounting to R25 000.
The property is said to have lost its roof sheeting, window panes, and taps
while parts of the floor are covered in faeces.
An official at the Zimbabwe Embassy said the matter was going to be
discussed by the Zimbabwean government in Harare.
However an official at the Foreign Affairs told Radio VOP Wednesday that
they are yet to get the report of the take over.
“We don’t have that case but in some such cases we wait for a report from
our Embassy in Pretoria before taking action,” said the official in a terse
response.