The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has issued a 90-day ultimatum to its former employees, instructing them to vacate certain apartments where they have resided for decades, ostensibly to facilitate renovations.
However, the ownership of these apartments is currently under legal dispute. The ex-employees assert that they purchased the units through a credit scheme back in the 1990s. The matter is still pending before the courts.
In a letter seen by NewsDay, ZBC’s investment executive, James Chiwera, communicated to the occupants that they must vacate the premises. He said:
Please be advised that the ZBC will be embarking on extensive renovations of the Hatley House in line with the corporate strategy as well as to comply with the City of Harare’s public health bylaws.
As a result, the contractor will be commencing exterior works effective January 29, 2024. You are given 90 days notice period to vacate the premises.
One of the former ZBC employees told NewsDay that they believe the courts will rule in their favour. He said:
For decades, these haven’t just been flats, they have been our homes.
Many of us have raised our families here and built our lives within these walls.
We are more than happy to cooperate with reasonable upgrades.
But surely, alternative solutions can be found without pushing families onto the street, especially during a housing crisis.
In an affidavit, Onias Gumbo, the former ZBC director of marketing, administration, and finance, revealed his pivotal role in creating an employee credit union.
He said that under this scheme, each employee made monthly contributions to collectively purchase properties of the flat.
According to Gumbo, some of the properties acquired in Harare include Copper Queen, Dick King Didsbury, Sendton Court, and the contested Hatley House.
