SYDNEY SAIZE IN MUTARE
The Mutare City Council has expressed concern over vandalism of its properties by people in and around the city.
Blessing Chafesuka, the acting town clerk told the Business Times that vandals were stripping off its properties and selling it as scrap to scrap merchants.
Consequently, Chafesuka said the local authority has lost property worth thousands of dollars in damaged infrastructure.
“Vandalism of council property is at an unprecedented level. Most of our manhole covers were removed and sold to scrap metal dealers,” said Chafesuka.
“I instructed our chamber secretary to look into the possibility of a bylaw that criminalises selling of scrap metal taken from municipal properties. In this proposal metal from manhole covers, water tapes and any such related metal will only be sold to dealers by the municipality,” said Chafesuka.
His sentiments were echoed by Mutare City Ward 13 councillor Monica Mkwada, who said her area has been hard hit by sewage spillages owing to blocked sewer pipes as a result of clogged sewer pipes.
The councillor said residents had seen an increase in thefts of water tape heads.
“The situation has gone out of hand, as most residents are losing their taps. The local authority is also losing road signage as well as electricity cables and copper wires plunging the city and suburbs into darkness.
“It is incumbent upon everyone to take charge of the council property as it belongs to all of us. There is a need for a sense of ownership in this cancerous disease that has befallen the city of Mutare,” Mkwada said.
In a bid to minimise the theft of metal road signs insignia, the council is replacing them with plastic insignia and treated poles.
Some of the stolen council property which finds its way to the scrap metal dealers is used to make different new products, while some of it is exported.
