New home for Glen View 8 traders?
2 min read
Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
HARARE City Council is moving Glen View 8 complex traders to Glen View 1 home industries as it paves way for the construction a double storey building set to house more than 2 400 traders.
The temporary relocation is expected to be complete in two months’ time ahead of proper infrastructural development at Glen View 8 complex, which has been battling a series of infernos.
Construction of the formal double storey will bring relief to traders as property worth millions of dollars had been destroyed over the years in various fires that have occurred at the complex.
The local authority, however, blames political interference for stalling the project’s progress leading to the pulling out of an investor.
According to recent informal sector minutes, the relocation had been delayed by land preparations at Glen View 1.
“The Director of Housing and Community Services reported that a temporal site at Glen View 1 home industry had been chosen as to accommodate traders currently operating at Glen View 8 complex.
“The major reason for the delay to relocate the traders to the temporal site was due to the unfinished land preparation,” read the report.
It further states that the plan for the proposed double storey had been crafted.
“The Director of Works had already completed the double storey designs for the Glen View area home industry which would accommodate 2 460 traders. Lack of funding had become the major impediment in informal sector infrastructure development and growth.”
The council officials blamed political interference in the project which they feared would suffer a stillbirth.
“The committee noted, with concern, pervasive political interference at Area 8 Gle View which had led to the pulling out of the private sector from a joint venture proposal to develop the site.
“The Director of Housing and Community Services would, however, continue to engage both the relevant ministries as well as private partners on proposals to develop the home industry,” read the minutes.
The municipality also noted that by end of September 2019, the traders would have been temporarily relocated.