The Sunday Mail
AT last 3 700 families in Caledonia, Harare, were left homeless between Friday and yesterday after the Deputy Sheriff demolished their houses as the High Court had ruled that the structures were built illegally.
This prompted Nhaka yeMadzitateguru Edu, a consortium of 30 housing co-operatives at Caledonia Eastern Height Farm to file an urgent High Court application seeking an interdict to stop the demolitions.
The Officer-in-Charge at Mabvuku Police Station is cited as the first respondent while Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere is the second respondent; Lot 1 Caledonia Farm is cited as the third respondent, Cde Paddington Zhanda (Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister) as the fourth respondent and Rina Loonie DuToit as the fifth respondent.
Cde Zhanda and DuToit say they jointly own the farm.
Muza and Nyapadi Legal Practioners, who are representing the applicant, said the case will be heard on Tuesday.
Part of the court application reads: “The applicant is a lawfully registered co-operative society that was allocated Phase 1 of Caledonia in 2013.
“I have been able to gather from the founding affidavit that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is carrying out an operation to evict Applicant’s members.
“The eviction is based on a dubious court order that did not cite the applicant nor its members.”
The Deputy Sheriff demolished the houses using a writ of execution in favour of Messrs Zhanda and DuToit.
The High Court granted Cde Zhanda and Dutoit access to land that had been allegedly invaded by Nhaka yeMadzitateguru Edu housing consortium.
The housing consortium is said to have illegally occupied the land and sold 11 000 residential stands to the home seekers who forked about US$1 500 each in the last six months.
Over the last few months, thousands of residents have been left homeless after the city council demolished illegal structures in Glen Norah, Westlea, Budiriro, Warren Park and Southlea Park.
Government recently ordered the council to stop the demolitions.
