Harare begins city-wide house demolitions

01 Dec, 2024 - 00:12 0 Views
Harare begins city-wide house demolitions

Stories by Nokuthula Dube

THE Harare City Council plans to begin a city-wide demolition exercise on Thursday, targeting houses constructed without approval, particularly on land reserved for public amenities.

Last week, the local authority began issuing 48-hour eviction notices to residents in affected areas.

Seventeen property owners in Mabelreign were among the first to be served, with the exercise expected to extend to high-density suburbs such as Budiriro, Kuwadzana, Glen View and Mabvuku.

The council has indicated that it plans to demolish over 5 000 houses built in illegal settlements across the city through enforcing 37 High Court orders.

City of Harare acting chief development control officer Mr James Mazvimba underscored the importance of restoring order and addressing illegal land invasions.

“We have issued notices in Mabelreign and will extend the process to areas like Budiriro and Kuwadzana,” he said.

“These land barons have invaded spaces intended for those on the housing waiting list and essential public amenities. We are acting within the provisions of the law to serve notices, and enforcement begins on December 5 and 6.”

After getting the 48-hour notices, he said, residents are expected to vacate and restore the land to its original state.

Failure to comply with the directive will result in council-led demolitions.

“Most structures are just makeshift cabins behind precast walls,” he added.

“These will be removed without needing a court order under Clause 18, Subsection 2 of the Urban Councils Act. We are not regularising any illegal settlements, particularly on land designated for schools or other public amenities. Court orders have already been issued for some areas, and the sheriff is assisting in executing these orders.”

Mr Mazvimba warned residents against investing in properties without proper documentation.

“Without permits or allocation from the city council, people risk losing their money,” he added.

“We notify residents and follow statutory procedures before taking action.

“Claims that demolitions ambush residents are false.”

The Government has since put in place a blanket ban on house demolitions, insisting that such actions are illegal.

The Harare City Council recently demolished over 30 houses in Belvedere, saying the structures were illegally constructed on council-owned land.

The council argued that the demolitions were part of a broader operation to enforce urban planning regulations and curb unauthorised developments.

According to city officials, the land had been unlawfully allocated by a private company using fraudulent documents. Despite warnings and a court order against further construction, some residents continued to build, prompting the demolitions.

The incident has sparked controversy, with residents accusing the council of failing to act earlier and worsening the housing crisis.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works distanced itself from the operation and has ordered an investigation into the matter.

**************************

29 local authorities miss budget submission deadline

Twenty-nine local authorities, including the Harare City Council, have failed to submit their 2025 annual budgets to the Government by the November 15 deadline, a development that could potentially delay their approval and compromise service delivery.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is set to begin assessing the budgets’ compliance with service delivery parameters outlined by President Mnangagwa under his national blueprint for local authorities unveiled last year.

The blueprint, titled “Call to Action — No Compromise to Service Delivery”, seeks to accelerate the modernisation of rural and urban centres by ensuring that local authorities prepare budgets that prioritise high levels of service delivery.

Harare was among the last local authorities to submit its budget last year, resulting in its financial plan being approved in July this year, a delay that impacted the city’s capacity to effectively implement critical service delivery projects.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said: “So far, 63 local authorities met the deadline of November 15, 2024. The assessment of the budgets will start on December 4, 2024, and approvals will begin on December 19.”

Notably, the Bulawayo City Council, Chitungwiza Municipality and Ruwa Local Board are among the local authorities that have already submitted their budgets.

Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume said the city’s budget was still undergoing internal assessments.

“We haven’t submitted the budget yet,” he said.

“Before submission, it has to be displayed for public review, after which we will incorporate responses from the public.”

Chitungwiza Municipality spokesperson Mr Tafadzwa Kachiko confirmed that the local authority had submitted its budget on time.

“We have submitted our budget and it is now under review,” he said.

“We are waiting for approval.”

Separately, Ruwa Local Board spokesperson Ms Josephine Mupakati said their budget had been submitted.

“We submitted our 2025 budget early this year,” she said.

The “Call to Action — No Compromise to Service Delivery” blueprint underscores the importance of adhering to strict service delivery guidelines to support Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.

The President has emphasised that council budgets will only be approved if they demonstrate clear and achievable plans for acceptable levels of service delivery.

Share This: