Suburban
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
CORPORATES and private investors around Borrowdale and Hatcliffe are in a rush for space in the two suburbs sparking concerns from residents who say the developers are leaving them out.
Residents are of the view that the companies and private businesspeople should also employ locals as a way of giving back to the community they are operating in.
The Borrowdale Ratepayers and Residents Association (BRRA) says it has noted with concern that there are rapid developments at the Hatcliffe corner and other places remarkably changing the face of the area.
Some houses are being converted into restaurants and this is a sign of vibrant commercial activity even in times of economic difficulties.
The BRRA suggested that the business community and the residents come together and devise a strategy of harnessing the jobless citizens who are bonafide residents of the two suburbs.
According to the residents’ body, such a plan work outs well without political and other influences and will go a long way into improving household incomes and reducing some social ills such as poverty, crime and substance abuse as the young people will have jobs to keep them busy.
BRRA chairperson Mr Robert Mutyasira said corporates and investors are scrambling for space in the entirety of Borrowdale and the surrounding vicinity. He said that there are many qualified and suitable young people in all the neighbourhoods of Ward 18 (Borrowdale, Borrowdale Brooke, Greystone Park, Glen Lorne, Helensvale, Kambanji, Carrick Creagh, Umwinsidale, Philadelphia, Colne Valley and Crowhill) and 42 (Hatcliffe) who can be engaged as workers at these corporates and business entities.
“These are all welcome development activities which we hope will continue to improve the economies of our communities and subsequently the national GDP (gross domestic product). Over and above this we are once again appealing to our enterprising entities to give the communities they are operating in first preference when they are structuring their corporate social responsibility portfolios. There are so many socio-economic distresses among the people who support these businesses and prioritising such cases is an important step towards giving back to the community,” said Mr Mutyasira.
The BRRA leader also spoke about the poor state of roads, driveways and carparks at some of the upmarket eateries in the area.
“The state of infrastructure such as roads leading to some of the well customised food houses at Pomona is worrying. Why should clients expose their cars to dilapidation while on their way to spend at a fast foods facility whose agenda has nothing to do with remedying the bad state of the road in their immediate vicinity? We have always appealed to residents to shun and repel businesses who just come to make huge profits without considering the communities around their businesses,” he said.
Mr Mutyasira said it was worrying to see young workers looking for transport well into the night after finishing work in the Borrowdale area.
“On another note, it is distressing to see young people waiting for city bound transport well into the night after knocking off from supermarkets and restaurants in and around Borrowdale. Many of them stay as far off as Budiriro, Kuwadzana, Southlea Park and Epworth to name but a few miles away from their places of work. We would want to encourage business operators to consider employing from the immediate neighbourhoods for their convenience and that of their staff. The people who knock off at 8 pm or later will probably reach their homes well after 10:00 pm and some at midnight while they are expected to be back at their (work) stations at 6:00am. This is a counterproductive routine which works against the businesses as they will be working with employees who are fatigued resulting in compromised attention to duty. The transport costs to and from work erode incomes and enhance chances of dishonesty among employees something which impacts negatively on businesses,” argued Mr Mutyasira.
The BRRA says it is ready to look into this matter together with the corporates around Borrowdale. The BRRA chairperson said that this may be a tedious process of vetting but if it is going to benefit the residents they may as well indulge.
