THE mystery surrounding a sprawling, 13-room mansion under construction in Bulawayo’s leafy Kumalo suburb continues to deepen. The property has been at the centre of a bitter ownership dispute for nearly four decades. One of the four claimants says he is not confident in the way the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is handling the issue.
Raphael Masuku, who claims to be the legitimate purchaser of the stand, has broken his silence. Following the story published by our sister paper, the Sunday News, in December last year, Masuku visited the B-Metro newsroom to lay bare his soul. He claims that decades of irregular transfers, missing documents, and “concealment” by municipal officials, have put his life savings at risk.
The dispute over Stand 6843, located at 15 Pingstone Road, dates back to 1987. According to Council records and Masuku’s documents, the stand was originally sold to the late Girlie Malunga for $3,540. “The saga began in 1987 when the late Girlie Malunga bought the stand from the Bulawayo City Council.
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“She paid only a quarter of the price before she unfortunately passed away 10 months later. “After her death, her husband, Joseph Bingo Malunga, inherited the (property). “However, documents show he never settled the outstanding balance, and the property sat undeveloped for years.” Despite a 1991 “intent to cancel” notice issued by the BCC due to non-payment, the cancellation was never enforced. Masuku argues this created a “legal vacuum” that allowed the property to be sold multiple times.
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