Temba Mliswa blasts council over Hopley School demolition during lessons, demands accountability
Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has criticised the demolition of a school in Hopley, questioning the logic of destroying educational infrastructure at a time when the country is battling drug abuse among young people.
In a post on X, Mliswa described the demolition as heartbreaking, arguing that while communities are fighting to protect young people from drugs, schools that should be providing education and guidance are being demolished.
However, he said the bigger scandal was the system that created the land ownership crisis in the first place.
Mliswa argued that ordinary residents did not simply invade or illegally acquire land, but were sold residential stands, given paperwork and assured by people in authority that their properties were legitimate.
He drew parallels with the situation in St Martins, where a council-owned and operated pay-scheme was reportedly disowned amid political pressure.
He questioned how the same authorities who allegedly allowed, benefited from or turned a blind eye to questionable land allocations could later punish residents for trusting the system.
Mliswa also accused some local authorities of enabling the activities of land barons, arguing that illegal land sales thrive where councils are weak, compromised or complicit.
**He insisted that accountability must start with those in positions of authority rather than ordinary residents who may have been victims of a failed governance system.**
He called for council officials who allegedly colluded with land barons, issued questionable documents or tolerated illegal land sales to be held accountable.
Mliswa also questioned why no council officials had apparently been held responsible, directly raising the issue with Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume.
He called for the prosecution of both land barons and corrupt council officials, insisting that commissions of inquiry must deliver tangible results instead of merely making recommendations.
His criticism raises broader questions about the responsibility of local authorities in illegal land allocations and whether residents who bought stands in good faith should bear the consequences of alleged corruption within the system. *_-X_*
