Marondera residents criticise barter trade

Marondera residents have accused the municipality of lack of transparency after the local authority surrendered a 150-hectare piece of land to a local company, Mega Market, in exchange for service delivery machinery and vehicles.

This, they argued, happened despite there being a waiting list of more than 18 000 home seekers.

Residents said that the resolution was passed after some individuals ‘had their hands greased’.

And the council is yet to receive all the equipment from Mega Market despite the deal stating that all the equipment was to be available within a year.

The outstanding equipment includes a dozer, tippers, a skip truck, a honey sucker, a UD truck, an ambulance, a vibratory roller and skip bins.

Marondera Residents Open Forum director Tapiwa Chengeta said the land deal was not the best option at all.

“Firstly, the barter trade system is an old method of transacting. It was used when there were no modern transactions, especially with no circulating currency.

“Secondly, Marondera has a ready market for land buyers.

“With the waiting list standing at 18 000 it means 18 000 buyers ready to buy land. It was easy to sell the land and buy whatever was needed.

“Be that as it is already water under the bridge, there is need for a serious follow up on the outstanding equipment.

“As residents we are becoming very worried when the council continues to shift goal posts especially on outstanding equipment.

“Our hope is that the new council will follow up and update us as a matter of urgency.

“Marondera belongs to residents and we can take up that issue ourselves and get to the bottom of it,” Chengeta said.

The land was part of the Hunyani Timberlands estate measuring up to 1 600ha.

Following the deal, the then Ward 11 councillor, Sizemark Vilela, said ceding the land was the only option to secure the much-needed equipment.

“We had no money to purchase the equipment, but we had land at Hunyani Timberlands,” said Vilela, adding that all was done above board with the Local Government ministry endorsing it

“We agreed to sell almost 150ha that we had as a council. We did not want to sell land for money because we knew the financial challenges at council, hence the idea of exchanging land with equipment,” he said.

Marondera Urban Business Association vice chairperson, Carlos Pindire, said the delay in the completion of the deal raises eyebrows.

“If you see a deal involving a public entity or organisation taking two to three years without being completed, this raises questions, or this exposes the goodness of the leaders.

“We did not receive all the equipment, some of the management personnel who received the luxurious cars have since left council and took the vehicles along with them, so this means the deal benefitted a few individuals at the expense of the masses,” Pindire said.

According to council, the acquisition of the said land by Mega Market took place under the condition that the company would use the land for the construction of a new commercial node, which would accommodate a long-distance terminus, a spacious modern people market, hotel and conferencing facilities, medium and high-density residential stands - including 40% of high and low-cost flats - gated communities, cluster housing, a specialised hospital, university and polytechnic, private and public schools, heavy and light industries.

Council spokesperson Kudakwashe Tapfumanei confirmed that the council was yet to receive all the promised equipment.

“I can confirm that the council entered into a land-for-operating equipment arrangement with Mega Market.

“The agreement terms were that Mega Market would deliver 40% of the equipment within eight weeks from the day of signing the agreement, and then the rest of the equipment would be supplied within 12 months from the day of the layout plan approval.

“In return, council would hand over 150ha in exchange for operating equipment and some utility vehicles

“Forty per cent of the initial equipment was delivered, including, but not limited to a grader, tipper, refuse truck, ambulance, UD truck and some utility vehicles.”

Tapfumaneyi said the delays were a result of ‘involvement of outside agencies.