by Henry Kane
Epworth Local Board has authorized the building of a secondary school on a wetland. An Epworth resident said, “Before the construction started, a pond that was there was filled up followed by the leveling of the wetland. All the reeds that used to be there were buried under as they prepared the site. However, nature does not forget.” The resident pointed out that the reeds grew again within a very short space of time. One can only wonder how the authorities can build a school on a wetland without stopping to think about the repercussions. Within a short space of time, the reeds grew into very beautiful site, which show how nature does not forget after one rainy season when the Mabvazuva Secondary school had already levelled the area for construction. Houses built near the school were almost swept away during the 2020-2021 rainy season. Mrs Tagara of Ward 7 almost had her house swept away and she had to use sandbags to protect her foundation from being eroded by the water. Her house stands in the middle of a stream/waterway. This time she is even worried that the house will fall with her and her grand children sleeping inside but she doesn’t have an option since her husband died and can not afford to build a new house. Last season the Epworth Local Board Council Officials promised to relocate them but there is no hope since new people continue to come daily and building with council turning a blind eye. Efforts to get comments from the Epworth Local Board Housing Officer were fruitless as he promised to come back with a council position on what they are going to do with people settled in wetlands.
