Budiriro family seeks US$150,000 from Harare council after teen’s pit drowning

Budiriro family seeks US$150,000 from Harare council after teen’s pit drowning

For all the News from Mashonaland Central, Join One of Our Groups

A Budiriro family is demanding US$150,000 in damages from the City of Harare following the death of their 17-year-old daughter, Talita Munda, who allegedly drowned after falling into a sewage-filled excavation pit said to have been left open and unsecured for months.

Through their lawyers, Maseko Law Chambers, the family has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the local authority, seeking compensation for emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and what they describe as a violation of the teenager’s constitutional right to life.

In the demand letter, the family’s legal representatives argue that the excavation was located in a residential area where families and children live, yet no effective measures were taken to secure the site or warn residents of the danger.

“The excavation remained exposed in a community full of residents, including children. This tragedy was entirely preventable and arose from a failure to take basic safety precautions,” the lawyers wrote.

To Advertise Inbox Us

The legal team further claims the circumstances amount to gross negligence by the council.

“This was not ordinary negligence. It was a shocking disregard for public safety that resulted in the loss of innocent lives,” they stated.

The incident has already led to criminal proceedings against three City of Harare employees. Moses Dicko, Tinei Chihwai and Thomas Rwakatiwana were arrested and charged with culpable homicide following investigations into deaths linked to the same pit.

According to information presented in court, the excavation allegedly remained open for months and gradually filled with water and sewage, creating what the prosecution described as a serious public hazard.

The matter came to wider attention on June 7 after a 19-year-old man reportedly fell into the pit. Subsequent rescue efforts allegedly led to the recovery of the bodies of Talita Munda and 34-year-old Vimbainashe Chihota, bringing the reported death toll linked to the excavation to three.

A magistrate denied the accused municipal workers bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the loss of life associated with the incident.

The case has renewed public debate around safety standards at council worksites, the maintenance of infrastructure projects, and accountability within local authorities. Residents have questioned how a hazardous excavation could remain exposed for an extended period without intervention.

The City of Harare had not publicly responded to the family’s compensation demand at the time of writing, and the family’s lawyers say the matter is likely to proceed to civil litigation if the council fails to respond within the 14-day period.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel for all the News from Mashonaland Central – Bindura, Mbire, Guruve, Mount Darwin, Rushinga, Shamva, Mazowe & Muzarabani