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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

AT least 18 houses built on top of a sewer that later collapsed in Chitungwiza will be spared demolition following the diversion and replacement of the main sewer, a cheaper option that is being funded by a local company.

Work is now ongoing for the replacement of 500 metres of the sewer starting from St Mary’s turn-off along New Chitungwiza Road.

A local firm, Mashwede Holdings, which has business interests in the town, is sorting out the muddle as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The company’s heavy equipment, including a tipper, was on site and already older sewer pipes are being removed to pave way for the replacements.

A resident, Mrs Rumbidzai Mashingaidza, said the sewer replacement was a welcome development.

“We were battling the choked sewers over the years in St Marys,” she said. “We are hoping that through this intervention it will be a thing of the past.”

Mr Tinotenda Kamusoro said the fixing of the sewer was long overdue.

“Demolition of houses was one of the least things we expected,” he said. “Apart from the fear of demolition of our houses, our lives were always at threat from possible disease outbreaks like cholera and typhoid.”

A woman who preferred to be only identified as Mrs Kunzvara said the parcelling out of undesignated land should be stopped.

“While we appreciate the move to divert the sewer, in fact the council should have stopped the construction of these houses,” she said.

“The disorder was now affecting residents who acquired their properties legally.”

Chitungwiza Municipality public relations officer Mr Lovemore Meya yesterday admitted that the sewer collapsed as a result of houses built on its top.

Sewer servitudes are normally marked out and no one is allowed to build on them.

Acting chamber secretary Mr Raymond Wenyeve, writing on behalf of the acting town clerk on November 3, noted that a council resolution had been passed for the replacement to go ahead, with Mashwede Holdings using pipeline materials provided by ZIMFUND.