Of wretched Harare buildings, maintenance

Prof Innocent Chirisa

IN 2019, I visited Belgium, where I was taken around the KU Leuven University.

Some of the buildings at the university were built when the institution was founded in 1425AD.

To my surprise, the structures were still standing.

I was awestruck by what I witnessed.

I ended up probing what the secret was to having such structures intact after all those years.

Most of such old buildings, as I learnt, remained “new” by way of observing the provisions of a building preservation order (BPO).

A BPO, also sometimes referred to as a building preservation notice (BPN), is a legal mechanism used in some countries, particularly the United Kingdom, to protect buildings of historical or architectural interest.

It prevents the demolition or alteration of a building deemed to have a special character.

This character could be of historical, architectural or cultural significance.

Conversely, in countries like Turkey, where earthquakes occur frequently, buildings also collapse recurrently.

However, in coastal cities such as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in South Africa; and Beira in Mozambique, to name a few, strong winds persistently batter buildings.

But cases where buildings in those city collapse are rare.

The reason for that is the level of investment poured into the architecture and construction of the buildings.

The secret to the longevity of buildings lies in the serious construction and pursuant maintenance of those structures by the owners and users.

Construction and management of buildings are not just a matter of private individuals’ interests.

They are something of a public interest.

Public interest is simply the greater good for the greater majority.

Construction and installation of anything in a building inhabited has to be done in accordance with urban planning standards and rules.

The whole idea is to ensure that public health is upheld, and so are safety and comfort.

In Zimbabwe, for regional and urban development, planning permission must always be sought from a local authority.

Anything erected without planning permission and consent is deemed an illegal development.

Managing the built structures also has to adhere to set rules and standards to ensure the right levels of occupancy, safety (including fire prevention and management) and public health.

Comfort of the users is a principal goal.

It is in the best interest of any local authority (urban council or rural district council) to ensure that its residents are protected from any harm and hazards.

In most cases, preventive measures are put in place and strictly adhered to.

Recently, tragedy struck in Harare after part of a building along Chinhoyi Street collapsed, leading to a fatality and injuries.

The accident was a wake-up call for Harare to ensure the structural integrity of public buildings in and around the city.

Local newspapers have extensively covered stories outlining how some buildings in major cities were no longer fit for human occupation.

The stories outlined the high levels of illegality or neglect affecting buildings in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.

Due to the dysfunction in our local authorities, it is unclear how many buildings are constructed or renovated without proper supervision.

Some structures go as far as reaching roofing levels without being subjected to inspections.

There is one such building I always pass by in some neighbourhood in Harare.

The building is literally within the road and is purely a hazard, yet it is on the eve of being opened to the public.

The Regional, Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12) is clear on what needs to be done and the local authority should invoke a demolition order for that particular building.

Clearly, some buildings in Harare, including the residential hostels in Mbare, are in a very deplorable state. Not only are they breeding grounds for various social vices; they are also a health hazard and a serious eyesore. They are poorly maintained and were constructed as municipal properties. It is high time that the local authorities boldly look into the buildings they are meant to have oversight of. They have to be bold to adhere to their own building codes.

They have to “depoliticise” the matter and consider identifying new sites to locate the dwellers and users of the buildings.

They have to craft well-thought-out urban policy instruments that support urban renewal.

This includes having urban land-use policies that allow for 49-year leases to private developers.

In the Netherlands, through 49-year leases, private developers are brought in to build, manage and run leased hostels.

By year five to the end of the lease of the land, the developer would have recouped their investment with profit and working hard to have new structures in place for the next generation of occupants.

The local authority in that situation is not acting as the nanny but a true steward of the city.

To be true stewards of the cities they have oversight of, local authorities have to know the powers they wield, according to their mandate set out in the Urban Councils Act (29:15) and Rural District Councils Act (29:13).

They have to ensure they have strong development control units. They also need to ensure the units are well-resourced.

What is a city without safety, health and comfort for its residents?

Professor Innocent Chirisa is chairperson of the Department of Rural and Urban Planning at the University of Zimbabwe.