Octogenarian plotholders from Mutasa given 30 days to pay up or else

A group of plotholders at Irene Farm outside Mutare, but under Mutasa District, have been given 30 days to pay up their arrears or face unspecified action from the land developer who is asking hefty fees to process title deeds for the plots which some of them bought at independence in 1980.

The group of 12-plotholders, the majority of whom are over 80 years, are being asked to pay varying amounts ranging from nearly $26 000 to about $50 000. They have been given time to pay at an interest rate of 15% a year but they are being charged 24% for any monthly arrears.

According to a letter to one of the tenants, dated 11 April, the developer, Ferro Consulting, says the plot holder must pay her arrears within 30 days of receiving the letter.

The arrears are now for three months- January, February and March.

The letter, however, is not specific about what action the company will take. It says if the plot holder fails top pay, the developer “shall have the liberty to execute against the defaulting applicant”.

In another paragraph, the letter says “we urge you to make all necessary outstanding payments before we proceed to the final course of action”.

The demands from the developer have divided the plot holders leaving only seven to fight it out. They have sought legal advice to appeal against a judgment made against them in December last year which gave the developer the right to seek payment from the plotholders before giving them title deeds.

One of the documents that The Insider has seen states that whoever buys the remainder of Irene Township must “acknowledge that the 12 tenants/plot holders have paid in full for their plots and that they be allowed to take transfer when Township Planning requirements have been completed”.

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