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Update - Hatcliffe Extension
Trudy Stevenson MP, Harare North Constituency
August 05, 2005

On Friday 5 August I visited Hatcliffe Extension for the second time since the people had been allowed back to their stands in the "New Stands" area. 4000 stands have been allocated or reallocated. Many people are back, but some have not yet come, presumably because they have not been informed about the reallocation. Some are now too sick, like Mr M.. who is still in Epworth with relatives. Some have not found the money to transport their belongings back.

Very few people have been given the 4 asbestos sheets promised by Minister Muchena & co when they addressed residents 2 weeks ago. Some were promised they would be given the sheets last Monday, but so far no-one has come back to fulfil that promise. In any case, those asbestos sheets are narrower than a single bed, and scarcely longer - they cannot make a house with that! Residents are however very busy putting up their shelters with whatever they can find, and some are already making solid foundations for substantial houses. Many are living in bits of plastic and any corrugated iron etc they managed to salvage and hide before they were chased away - but at least one young mother is sleeping in the open with her baby, she doesn't even have plastic. We are asking well-wishers to please now help with plastic sheeting and building materials if at all possible. It is so tragic that all these residents had adequate, if flimsy, shelter 3 months ago, and many now cannot afford to replace even that basic shelter!

The promise of extra lessons to make up the two months of lost classes has come to nothing - there are no facilities at all for extra lessons. Many parents have opted to wait until the new term begins in September rather than wasting more school fees for just 3 or 4 days of lessons at the end of this term. However it is unclear whether Zambuko Primary School will reopen. Currently it is being vandalised, with a number of broken window panes and probably books etc from the classrooms are disappearing, if not already gone. The corrugated iron roofing on the main hall is being "helped" to come off.

The biggest shock was the Clinic, near the school, which has disappeared! It was still standing and unharmed a month ago, and we were told it would probably re-open, but only the foundations remain. Before and after photos are available on request.

I am very concerned that so many efforts from churches, NGO's and individual well-wishers have been destroyed by the regime and its agents in this Operation Murambatsvina. I know that it will be extremely difficult to persuade those people and organisations to invest in the residents of Hatcliffe Extension a second time round, after this deliberate destruction. They also need major infrastructure investment in terms of boreholes and/or upgrading of the Municipality infrastructure to be able to cope with their water and sewerage requirements, etc - it is not clear what help, if anything, they will get at that level.

Meanwhile, it is still very cold at night, and many residents have lost their property one way or another in the various upheavals, so we appeal yet again for whatever you may be able to give to assist - especially building materials and plastic sheeting. Also warm clothes, blankets, children's clothes, and dry foods esp. mealie meal. Donations can be dropped directly at New Stands (opposite SIRDC and further down the hill near the contractors' site) or at St Augustine's Catholic Church in Hatcliffe One (access from Scam Way off the Borrowdale Rd before Domboshawa) or small amounts at my Parliamentary office in Mt Pleasant Hall (leave with caretaker Mr Gwarada), my home at 4 Ashbrittle Crescent, Emerald Hill or at Our Lady of the Wayside Mt Pleasant (crnr The Chase/Pendennis Rd) or St Gerards in Borrowdale. Every donation goes to very deserving people, and we are very grateful for everything, however small!

Thank you.

Trudy Stevenson MP
Harare North Constituency

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