Suburban
AVONDALE West residents are relieved after the City of Harare removed huge boulders a property owner in the suburb had placed to block the road verge adjacent to his house.
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
Residents reported the matter to council last year in August and Suburban reported the story of the property owner who blocked the road verge preventing motorists and pedestrians from using the verge. The property owner’s actions were a blatant contravention of city by-laws.
But despite residents reporting the matter to the municipality last year, the city was still to take action months later, only to move in last Saturday January 14.
The property in question is at the corner of Perth Road and Chester Road in Avondale West.
Avondale West residents say they are happy that the problem which was first reported to City of Harare in mid-August last year has finally been dealt with.
Residents said on Saturday morning municipal police and City of Harare workers turned up at the property and began removing the large granite stones from the verge on Perth Road. They returned on Sunday to complete the job.
Residents said they are relieved that council had finally done their job as the issue was bothering them. However, some residents felt that the local authority could have responded to the problem much earlier.
“Council by-laws and regulations have finally been enforced. The ugly stones are gone and, five months on,, pedestrians can access the verge or pavement once more. It is good to see CoH carrying out their mandate by enforcing Harare’s by-laws. We would have been happier if they had got it done much earlier, and not kept us guessing,” said a resident.
City of Harare’s acting chief development control officer Mr James Mazvimba said he had communicated with the property owner earlier for them to remove the stones but they failed to comply hence the council had to enforce the by-laws.
“I spoke to the owner long back and he promised to remove the stones by himself but never did hence the current enforcement initiative,” said Mr James Mazvimba.
Ward 7 Councillor Happymore Gotora confirmed the development and urged residents to desist from blocking road verges.
“The stones have since been removed and we are working on sprucing up the place so that it looks better. The property owner initially didn’t understand the by-laws but we explained it to them that they are not allowed to put stones on the road verges. Residents should always ask for clarification where they don’t understand. Most residents don’t understand that verges should not be barricaded or put stones,” said Cllr Gotora.
The road verge is now clear following the removal of the stones.
City of Harare’s by-laws on road verges state that every occupier shall maintain the road verges adjacent or opposite to the property that they occupy.
No occupier shall deposit or abandon or cause, or permit to be deposited or abandoned, any litter on the road verges.
An occupier shall maintain shrubs on the road verges and no occupier shall plant or allow to be planted any shrub or tree that obstructs the traffic or any informative sign.
No occupier shall cut or permit trees to be cut outside the boundary of his or her property without the authority of the council.
Any occupier who contravenes the provisions of Section 4 shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level three or to three months’ imprisonment or to both such fine and imprisonment.
In the case of repeating the offence, the property owner shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one third of the fine stipulated in level three where the offence has continued for more than 30 days for each day during which the offence has continued or to three months’ imprisonment or to both such fine and imprisonment.
