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OpenHarare CBD Landlords Threaten To Sue City Council Over Unresolved Grievances
Building owners in Harare’s Central Business District have threatened legal action against Mayor Jacob Mafume and the City of Harare if their grievances are not addressed within two weeks.
The owners, including firms like Mohammed Mussa, Bhika Brothers, Tselentis, and Dell Investments, have petitioned city officials.
They demand action on excessive rates and taxes, inaccurate water bills, poor service delivery, traffic congestion, crime, and declining property values.
They accuse Mafume and the council of neglecting long-standing issues that are harming businesses and have given the mayor a 14-day ultimatum to act or face legal action. The letter reads in part:
You will recall we have had two meetings with you, and at both meetings, a representative from the City of Harare was present.
At the meetings, it was agreed that the rates and taxes, in many cases, were excessive and that the matter would be addressed and corrected.
The property owners argued that recent property valuations were inflated, despite the evident degradation of the CBD. This has led to businesses relocating and leaving many buildings vacant. Reads the letter:
The asset value of most of the properties has decreased substantially, and the resale/market value has dropped accordingly.
Rental income is minimal, and the viability of properties is marginal. Accordingly, the City of Harare should not be increasing their valuations to maximise income.
Many businesses are nearing the end of their financial year, and the overcharging by the City of Harare will adversely impact their year-end accounts.
The group has demanded an immediate resolution of the issues and warned that failure to act will leave them with no choice but to seek legal recourse.
Attempts by The Herald to obtain a comment from Mafume were unsuccessful. Although the mayor read the questions sent via WhatsApp, he did not respond or answer his phone.
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