Own Corespondent
The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has strongly condemned the subtle plans to convert into a car sales business, a portion of Enterprise Road at the traffic lights on Gletwyn Road and Powland Road without following the provisions of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29.12) which requires due processes to be followed before any developments take place.
HRT said in a recent statement that what is surprising is that visits are being made to the road intersection by powerful council officials, in the company of unidentified business people where they have been observed showing them the area and making statements to the effect that a car sale business is set to be established at the intersection.
The Trust said if that were to happen, it will be a disaster in terms of traffic management and would worsen the frequency of road traffic accidents, at an already high-accident zone.
Following the developments, an HRT team is reported to have visited the site to establish the facts. HRT said Interviews were conducted with residents around the area and vendors operating there.
They said various officials in the City of Harare, the Environmental Management Agency, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe have been engaged to raise awareness of the threats posed by the car sale project if it eventually materialises.
HRT says its fears as an organisation mainly emanates from the opaque manner through which land sales and developments have been taking place in Harare.
HRT added that most developments happen first before being regularised, with reports suggesting the deliberate manipulation of minutes and reports, backdated to the time convenient to the people involved in the transactions. HRT said that while this has not been substantiated, informed officials say this is a common trend in many processes, raising more questions about the integrity of some of the officials responsible for critical functions within the council.
HRT said it would like to believe that such allegations have a negative impact on public perception of the local authority.
HRT said as it will continue to investigate the forces behind the move to establish the car sale business, adding that it will continue to engage public officials to make them realize that they cannot approve of such a business proposal, whenever it is brought to their attention.
“What we have since established is that the road servitude in question belongs to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, and not the City of Harare. However, it is in an area under the jurisdiction of the City of Harare. Road experts says 70 metres are required from the centre of the road to the verge, for future road expansion. No development should therefore take place within the road servitude, unless they happen beyond the 70 metres radius,” HRT said.
HRT added that the Powland Intersection is a high accident zone and traffic lights are solar powered and often function until around 4 pm during winter.
HRT said Introducing a car sale business will increase pedestrian traffic, congestion, and the risk of fatal accidents. HRT added that Section 24 of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12) prohibits unauthorised development on council and public land. The residents lobby said that road reserves must not be used for private commercial gain and are public land held in trust for future infrastructure development.
HRT said if such developments are allowed, like the car sale, it will open the door for the sale of every road servitude, including wetlands and open space in Harare.
The HRT called upon the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, City of Harare, and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe to
immediately reject the proposal to establish a car sale at Powland Intersection, protect and demarcate all road reserves for their intended purpose,
institute safety measures at the intersection to protect pedestrians, motorists and vendors and
investigate reports of extortion and harassment of vendors by municipal employees.
“We cannot trade road safety and the rule of law for private business interests. Public land belongs to the people. Our roads are not for sale,” HRT said.