WOZA arrests, as residents demonstrate against illegal evictions in Bulawayo

By Violet Gonda
25 October 2006

Five WOZA members, including a 75-year-old grandmother Thalitha Mthendezi, were arrested on Wednesday during protests against illegal evictions and poor service delivery in Bulawayo. The Women of Zimbabwe Arise were part of a group of about 50 residents of Mabutweni and Iminyela who staged a demonstration at the Mpopoma Housing Offices. They are being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station.

WOZA spokesperson Rudo Moyo said the residents were protesting against Joshua Mafu, the Chairman of The Bulawayo Residents Association and Fabion Dube, Superintendent of Mpopoma Housing Office, who have allegedly given 36 residents illegal eviction notices so that the can allocate the houses to their cronies. It’s also reported that the residents were only given a month’s notice.

The Residents Association is supposed to stand up for the rights of the tenants and although the City Council owns the houses, the superintendent is responsible for seeing who goes in and out. But WOZA claim the two officials have been conniving and illegally evicting tenants.

Moyo said; “If someone goes to them with a bribe they just go and evict people from the houses. So they (residents) are not happy with this. They are also protesting against the City Council for not providing the necessary services. The garbage is not being collected and the ablution facilities are in a sorry state.”

Orphaned children are said to be among the evicted. At least 4 000 people are dying every week in Zimbabwe as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, leaving many children orphaned. Because of this a growing number of child headed families is emerging, and in most areas survive on renting out rooms in their homes. But WOZA says in places like Mabutweni these orphans are being evicted soon after the official owner of the house dies.

As a result of theses problems and desperate to save their homes the residents marched to the housing offices. The pressure group said; “The protesters, who were carrying placards and a WOZA banner marched into the housing premises, where they scattered newsletters outlining theirs grievances and demands before dispersing.”

They also complained that they were being evicted regardless of the fact that they were paying their rent. Moyo added; “That is why they were demonstrating because they felt they are being cheated because these are council houses. Anyone should be allowed to stay in these houses as long as they are able to pay their rent.”

The people were also demonstrating against the Bulawayo City Council’s refusal to give them the opportunity to buy the homes under a home ownership scheme, instead of keeping them on long leases.

At the time of going to press, the pressure group was busy running around to find out why the 5 had been arrested and the exact charge. They were also having difficulties finding a lawyer as most lawyers were said to be in court.

We were not able to get a comment from the Bulawayo City Council, the Bulawayo Residents Association or Mpopoma Housing Office.