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Brief History

The document requests an investigation into the University of Zimbabwe Housing Trust for suspected abuse of funds and corruption related to land development and housing projects. Concerns include how contracts were awarded, poor workmanship, failure to complete projects, and lack of housing titles being provided to members. The summary outlines some of the specific financial irregularities and questionable deals alleged related to roads, water, and sewer projects.

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Lincoln Mutanga
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58 views3 pages

Brief History

The document requests an investigation into the University of Zimbabwe Housing Trust for suspected abuse of funds and corruption related to land development and housing projects. Concerns include how contracts were awarded, poor workmanship, failure to complete projects, and lack of housing titles being provided to members. The summary outlines some of the specific financial irregularities and questionable deals alleged related to roads, water, and sewer projects.

Uploaded by

Lincoln Mutanga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Request

We request your honourable office to investigate University of Zimbabwe Housing


Trust for suspected abuse of Trust funds and underhand dealings between the
management committee and the various contractors who were awarded tenders to
develop our piece of land. An audit of the whole project from its inception to the
present day would be, in our considered view, the most ideal way.

Concerns

Our grievances, as concerned members, emanate from:-

1. How tenders were awarded.

2. Sub-standard work by contractors without any questioning by management


committee.

3. Failure by management committee to push for the completion of project.

4. Management committee’s hold on to power and not letting individuals get


title to their property.

Brief history

The University of Zimbabwe Workers’ Union, in 2010, came up with a noble idea of
making sure workers would get residential stands. We, as workers, agreed to have
money deducted from our salaries on a monthly basis towards this noble cause. We
started off with USD50.00 deductions and later increased to USD75.00/month.
Meanwhile, our executive committee was sourcing land to buy. Allegations of
misappropriation of Trust funds were raised at some point resulting in almost half
the membership withdrawing from the housing Trust. The patron of this Trust (Vice-
Chancellor of the university) was made aware and dissenting voices were severely
reprimanded and threatened. This gave birth to fear of victimisation within the
membership. As time passed by, land was identified and subsequently bought for
USD500,000.00 and the members had to borrow top-up money from different
financial institutions since the money in the Trust coffers could not suffice the
required amount. We were told the land owner wanted the amount paid in full for
him to release the Title Deeds. It was tough for the generality of us but we had to
soldier on for we needed accommodation.

Developments

A technical committee was set up and tasked with identifying and recommending
possible developers.

1. Roads and drains


The technical committee did their job and recommended a reputable developer for
roads and drains but, we are reliably informed, was turned down by the executive
committee headed by Mr. Tafirenyika Mapfumo. Joystone Contractors were favoured
by the executive committee. The owner of this construction company was introduced
to us in a meeting. His offers were ”too good” to deny. The contractor was given the
tender on the understanding that he was comfortable with monthly instalments but
would undertake the job to completion using his own resources. What he promised
us to see and witness and what is on the ground today are two opposing scenarios.
Initially, USD2.2million was charged and a deposit was made. Civil works
commenced but, along the way, goal posts shifted. Demands for huge sums of
money towards this developer took toll and this made life very difficult for the
membership. Most members ended up not having enough left of their salaries to
feed their families with. A further USD500,000.00 was demanded by the developer
citing anomalies in the Bill of Quantities (BOQs). Since members now had fear of
victimisation and driven by desire to have accommodation, complied, albeit with
bleeding hearts. The total figure for road development now stood at USD2.7million.

As time progressed, the executive committee told us that road development was
now complete save for a few touch-ups. From a layman’s vision, the job was OK but
on the ground, the job is sub-standard to say the least. The job does not warrant
the USD2.7million that we paid the contractor. Not even half the amount would
justify the work. Payment via instalments is not a justification for poor workmanship.
The contractor was getting USD45,000.00 monthly from our contributions. When our
employer had problems in paying us our salaries, we had arrears amounting to
USD180,000.00 or four months’ arrears. Our executive committee, once again,
imposed on us that we dispose of our school stand (something we had strongly
denied in earlier meetings with our executive) so as to settle the bill with Joystone
Contractors. Later on, we were just told that the school stand had been bought by
Joystone for USD180,000.00. What a coincidence???? We strongly feel some in
our executive particularly, the chairman, had an interest in the school stand. The
otherwise essential asset we had was just whisked away from us. This school stand
would serve our settlement as well as neighbouring suburbs if it was not taken away
via corrupt means. Primary school children cross the busy Bulawayo road so as to
access cheaper schools yet we had an asset which could be converted into a
cheaper public school. We demand our school stand back.

2. Water and Sewer Reticulation

-Water pipes were laid at a cost of USD500,000.00. This was before members of the
Trust began building temporary structures on this piece of land. When members
moved in, stand pipes were installed sub-standardly by a different contractor from
the initial water contractor. On asking the executive why the initial contractor did not
complete his job, no satisfactory answer was obtained. Pipe bursts are the order of
the day. Again, a sure case of poor workmanship combined with acts of corruption.

As we speak, water to this said area, contrary to His Excellency’s directive, has been
disconnected. We are in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and someone decides
to cut water supplies. A bill amounting to more than two million dollars for water
was read to us in June by the chairman. What baffles the minds of many a member
is that when water pipes were being laid, a substantial amount, to the tune of
USD34 000 was withdrawn from our coffers so as to set up Chamber #22 to enable
water to reach our newly acquired block. We were told, by the executive, that City of
Harare was incapacitated to fulfil this mandate of constructing this chamber. For the
sake of progress, the local authority had requested us to fund this chamber set up
and then we would be exempted from paying water bills for the next five years.
Hardly a year had passed and the executive announced to us that we were in
arrears and a church stand was sold so as to settle the bill. +/-USD30 000 was
allegedly paid to settle this bill and this is around 2016/17. Where now is the
relief from City of Harare if we are paying before the expiration of the said
five years and subsequently, water supplies are disconnected? We bet our
last cent, the executive of the housing trust is involved in these shenanigans.

-Sewer was charged at USD497,000.00. Again, a contractor who was favoured by


the chairman of the Trust was awarded this tender albeit with no known history of
undertaking such a project save to say he had links with council engineers. Members
have fully paid their subscriptions but work is yet to be completed. Feedback being
given to the membership on why sewer reticulation is not being completed is not
satisfying to say the least. We were rushed into paying the full amount, stretching
ourselves financially, with the hope the project would be completed in time as
promised. By merely looking at the work that has so far been done, one begins to
wonder if ever this contractor had the capacity or knowledge to do the job. What is
on engineering drawings is different from what is on the ground.

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