Service station in Harare faces closure

By Nyemudzai Kakore

A Total service station along Simon Mazorodze Road in Harare faces closure if it fails to comply with a directive from the City of Harare to refurbish the drainage system within its vicinity.

This follows the flooding of homes in Mbare that saw residents losing property worth thousands of dollars.

Acting Town Clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube said the drainage should be refurbished within two weeks, to ensure that Mbare residents did not continue to lose property due to flood- ing.

Speaking during a tour of Mbare residential area, Mrs Ncube said residents along Mbirimi and Dumbutshena streets said flooding woes would persist if the drainage system was not refurbished.

“We have advised Total Service Station to make sure that the draining system is put in place,” she said.

“We are going to give them a timeframe, and we will consider closing the garage if they do not comply.

“The engineers have engaged them and have told them what needs to be done. In my own view, the correction of the drainage system should not take more than two weeks.”

The directive comes barely a few days following reports that a section of the Mbare Sunshine Bazaar Mall might be demolished to improve the drainage system, which had caused the blockage of some drainage pipes.

Mrs Ncube said the city had set up a special task force in the Department of Works to look at all construction taking place, to ensure that drainage pipes are not interfered with.

“The task force comprising engineers will look at all the major buildings coming up, and making sure that all the building structures taking place are according to plan, and that there is no interference with the drainage system,” she said.

“The problem has manifested itself in Mbare and we do not want to be reactive.”

“In all other suburbs, we are ensuring that our drains are clear. People are littering a lot which is blocking the drainage system. We are de-blocking the drains to make sure that when floods come, the water has got a free flow.”

Mrs Ncube said she was happy with the progress of re-alignment of pipes in Mbare and was confident that within a week the construction could be completed. The Herald