Harare Council, Augur  Investments clash looms

zimbabwe-independence-april-18-2008-009Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council is headed for a showdown with Augur Investments after the land it paid to the company in a barter deal to finance the designing and construction of the Joshua Nkomo Express Highway, was condemned as unfit for construction by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

EMA argues that some parts of the land in Borrowdale earmarked for the construction of a $100 million Mall of Zimbabwe, are wetlands although Augur argues that they have made concrete measures to preserve the environment and enhance the core green belt area in the suburb.

EMA also stopped construction of a sewer pipeline in Gunhill where Augur is developing an upmarket new suburb arguing that the potential raw sewage leakage will cause the quality of water to deteriorate and affect the area that they claim is a wetland.

Augur, on the other hand, argues that the sewer line was professionally designed and approved by City of Harare and installed to the highest standard to ensure the probabilities feared by EMA were minimised.

Augur Investments executive chairman, Mr Ken Sharpe, on Thursday confirmed the development saying EMA had stopped workers from constructing a sewer pipeline in Gunhill although the High Court earlier this year in May, had set aside the declaration of Wetlands in General Notice 313/2012 and 380/2013 by Government.

“The directive from EMA to stop further works is ludicrous. Firstly, as per High Court order the area is not a wetland. Secondly, the only way we connect the residents to the municipal main connection is using the one which was officially approved by the City of Harare who are the owners of all sewer and water in Harare and we as developers can only fulfil their requirements and specification.

“Jobs are scarce and unemployment is high so how can workers be sent home or worse threatened by EMA that they will be arrested if they continue working. We are seeking genuine engagement and cooperation with EMA as a stakeholder for responsible development,” he said.

Mr Sharpe said if EMA stopped his company from using the land paid by Government this could lead them to a claim over $20 million payable in cash by the city.

Ironically, close to 200 squatters have made themselves at home on the stretch of land bordered by the suburb, Borrowdale Race Course and Pockets Hill and have no ablution facilities and are a danger to the EMA claimed wetland and is not taking action against them.

Part of the land the squatters are occupying is reserved for commercial, housing and the development of a freeway from the roundabout of the Newlands bypass into Borrowdale Road. There is also illegal soil theft, dumping of rubble and litter on the same place in Gunhill, which would not be there if a viable and attractive development is allowed to proceed.

EMA management committee chairperson councillor, Herbert Gomba, said council would look at Augurs’ concerns with a view to give them an alternative piece of land or allow them to carry on with the development.

“Augur was paid the land by a caretaker commission and former city directors so we are privy to what they agreed. What needs to be done is for the company to discuss the issue with Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni and the acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube so we can see if council allows them to proceed or they will be given land elsewhere,” he said.

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