Comiche cuts off water and electricity to houses built in inappropriate places – O País

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Comiche cuts off water and electricity to houses built in inappropriate places – O País

7:25 CAT | 12 Mar 2021

Photo: O País

On the sidelines of the celebrations of the 28th anniversary of the creation of the Municipal Police of Maputo (PMM), Mayor Eneas Comiche spoke to O País about the controversial demolitions of residences in the Mapulene area, in the municipal district of Ka Mavota.

Comiche said that the operation was taking place in compliance with a court order.

“There will be more demolitions, because we have a situation of disorderly occupation of urban land. We have found construction in the mangrove [area], and this must not be allowed to continue. The situation has to be corrected,” the mayor emphasised.

The demolition of the first four houses indicated in the court order began on Friday March 5).

In support of action aimed at ending construction in prohibited areas, the council is working with Mozambique Electricity (EDM) and water services supplier Águas da Região de Maputo, in order to suspend services to people who have built their houses in inappropriate places.

“We are in coordination with EDM and Águas de Maputo, and we have said [to them]: cut off the supply to buildings in these places and, when the time comes, if people do not voluntarily move forward to vacating these places, we will move forward [with demolitions]. This is very serious. People cannot just do what they want in Maputo Municipality,” the mayor said.

Selling on the sidewalks

This March marks a year since the city council launched its campaign to remove informal sellers from the streets, avenues and sidewalks of the capital. The action apparently have not achieved the desired results, and informal sellers have returned to the locations from which they were removed.

The capital’s mayor recognises that the war is not yet won. “They are coming back (the informal vendors), but they shouldn’t have. They should occupy the stalls that are there in the markets, so we will continue with our action of preventing trading in inappropriate places, Mayor Comiche explained.

By Amandio Borges

Source: O País