Suburban
WARD 16 residents have called on the authorities to take action over the menace being caused by bars Sunridge Shopping Centre where revellers are now doing as they please in total disregard of other shoppers visiting the place.
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
According to the residents, the shopping centre especially the Home Ground area has now become a no go area for them because of the wayward behaviour of customers who frequent the bars there.
Residents around the area say their peace is being disturbed and they are now fearing for their safety because the place is fast turning into a hub for criminal activities.
The residents said they are now confining themselves in their premises as the menace at the shopping centres grows by the day.
The patrons and revellers are also accused of dumping waste by the road sides, raising fears of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.
Residents told Suburban that the noise pollution from the bars is sickening while the patrons park their cars by people’s gates some of them scantily dressed.
One resident described the activities at the shopping centre as the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.
“I am a resident in Sunridge and I would like to unearth immoral and disturbing behaviour at Sunridge shops/Home Ground.
“People around the area are not decent and doing as they please. We are tired as the residents of Sunridge, we can’t even move around freely anymore.
“These drunkards are always parked outside our gate and it’s really unfair. I can’t even talk about night time,” said the concerned resident.
Waste dumpsite
The place does not have public toilets and revellers and patrons relieve themselves in front of people’s yards.
“If they can close that bar down, I mean honestly they don’t even have a public toilet there and the first house which is directly opposite Home Ground complain that grown men and women are using the front of their yard as their toilet which is unfair to them because they have to clean that up,” said another resident.
Criminal activities at the shopping centre are now a threat to residents’ security.
“I think it would be of great help to the residents if they close that place down because it’s grooming robbers. And perhaps if they can open a big supermarket like Spar or OK or Bon Marche that would actually be nice not that bar,” said a resident.
He added: “Residents complain that they are afraid to send their daughters out there to buy a loaf of bread for tea because they could get raped or something could happen. What kind of a place would that be if you are not free around your neighbourhood?”
Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore said he was aware of the concerns raised by residents over the mess at Sunridge shopping centre and the local authority had begun steps to implement the necessary by-laws.
“We are in a process of implementing council by-laws. The paper work has already started. We have tried everything which include engagement,” said Cllr Ngadziore.
