Over 300 students and young professionals recruited as research assistants for the Harare Masterplan 2024–2044 have come forward with serious allegations of exploitation, underpayment, and intimidation during their involvement in the high-profile urban development initiative.
The masterplan project—spearheaded by Singaporean firm Surbana Jurong and local partner Development Studio Africa, under the guidance of consultant Tinashe Muderere—was conducted in collaboration with the City of Harare. It was meant to chart a course for the capital’s growth and modernization. But for the workers on the ground, the experience was far from visionary.
Many of the enumerators, mostly students from Harare Polytechnic and the University of Zimbabwe, say they were hired without formal contracts and were initially promised $15 per day to conduct household surveys. However, they were soon reassigned to traffic count duties, which involved standing at city intersections from 6 AM to 8 PM.
Despite assurances that their compensation would rise to $30 or even $45 per day due to the extended hours and reduced staffing, workers say these promises were never fulfilled.
“We worked 14-hour shifts under the sun and were told our pay would be adjusted accordingly,” said one enumerator. “That never happened.”
Formal contracts only surfaced on December 10—the final day of the project—when workers were allegedly coerced into signing hastily-prepared documents, without any opportunity to review them properly. “We weren’t given copies, and no representatives signed on behalf of the companies,” said another worker.
Following the completion of their duties, the enumerators were left waiting for payment. Most received only $120 each on December 16 and 17—significantly less than what they believe they were owed. Months later, many remain unpaid, and some report being threatened or verbally abused when they pursued their dues.
“I was counting on that money for my January tuition,” said a University of Zimbabwe student. “Now I don’t know how I’ll continue with school.”
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, who attended project launches and was photographed engaging with data collectors, has yet to respond to the allegations. His public endorsement of the masterplan as a transformative blueprint for Harare has drawn sharp contrast to his silence on the alleged mistreatment of those who helped create it.
The affected workers are calling for an independent investigation into what they describe as exploitative practices, opaque payment processes, and a lack of contractual safeguards.
“We gave our time and labor to this project in good faith, but we were treated like we didn’t matter,” said one research assistant. “Someone needs to answer for this.”
Both Surbana Jurong and Development Studio Africa have not issued any statements in response to the allegations.
The City of Harare also failed to provide comment at the time of publication.
