Suburban
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
WARD 16 will look into ways in which the City of Harare can help protect recreational areas in the ward following a siege on the recreational spots, wetlands and open spaces.
Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore says he will liaise with Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume to see how the recreational areas can be protected.
Speaking at a Ward 16 service delivery meeting held recently at Mabelreign District Office, Cllr Ngadziore said council has a role to play in terms of the subdivision permits as these comes through council.
He was speaking on illegal developments on Sherwood Golf Course.
“Sherwood is sitting on State land. The golf club itself is a council club which is being leased to residents through a committee.
“The land around the club from here (Mabelreign District Office) to Monavale is State land.
“Here’s the problem, I was called a few days before the (March) by-elections that there were surveyors pegging stands at Hillmorton and Sherwood Roads.
“I went with an independent candidate, Arthur Mashevedze who was also contesting in the by-elections.
“Josh (Zinzombe the ZANU PF candidate) was not reachable because we did not want to politicise the issue at that time.
“We asked people that were there who said they were sent to survey the land and they produced papers and I told them they need to stop,” he said.
Cllr Ngadziore said while they were visiting Hillmorton Road and Sherwood Road they saw five people who wanted to buy stands valued at US$35 000 each.
“A Sentosa resident asked me if the stands are legal and I advised him that the land is a golf course and to not buy the stands
“The developer contacted me.
“He owns 60 hectares in Mabelreign and there are documents from the Ministry.
“It was like compensation for the work he had done.
“That’s when I knew Sherwood is sitting on State land.
“But I told them as a city, we are the planning authority and we have the right to interfere where we think we need to protect our recreational sites,” he said.
Cllr Ngadziore said he then got another set of documents showing that 15 stands were created parallel to Hillmorton Road where some development was already taking place while there were five more stands pegged at the Sherwood Golf Course.
“Then they pegged 35 stands from One Way Primary School to Quendon Road and those things were approved.
“Where the problem is, is this is not our land but we have a role to play as council because subdivision permits come through City of Harare.
“But unfortunately the subdivision permit for Sherwood was approved by council in between 2021 when I was recalled.
“But these are the things that can be challenged to see what can be done or we can recede through a (council) resolution.
“So we will liaise with the mayor to see how best to protect our recreation,” he told residents.
Cllr Ngadziore said Mabelreign was a State farm before it was developed into a residential area.
“It is different from Highlands. Highlands was a private farm.
“The challenge we are facing is almost 95 percent of all greenways are State land except for a few greenways along Clavering Road in Haig Park which are council greenways and other council greenways which were near Sharks Swimming Pool.
“The council greenways came about as follows; when there are subdivisions on a State farm, there is land termed endowment land where if there is subdivision of the piece of land and as council we need 10 percent, for example.
“And with most subdivisions, people pay with land and not cash.
“So council got payment for subdivision from Government through land and this is the land I am talking about. But 95 percent is State land,” he said.
Cllr Ngadziore said he has also engaged Government on the matter.
“I was openly told that Government has set a board to oversee subdivision and planning of about 86 greenways in Mabelreign.
“This means they want to turn all 86 greenways around Mabelreign into residential stands.
“And I said whatever the plan on this should include residents’ inputs or consultations so that there are residents’ inputs.
“But we are normally aware that where there is Government input, it’s not everything that council is aware of.
“Sometimes we might decide that such and such a thing is not in the interest of residents.
“They can only come to the city for the purpose of services.
“So this is an issue that we need to interrogate to see how can we come up with a collective way to deal with that,” he said.
Cllr Ngadziore also spoke on the current state of Warren Hills Golf Course whose change of reservation has been stopped by himself and other councillors until issues that he said require clarification are resolved.
