The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
URBAN councils countrywide will soon demolish thousands of houses and other structures illegally built on undesignated locations to ensure all residential properties conform to prescribed land use policies.Councils will target structures near major electricity infrastructure; on wetlands, sewer systems and planned roadways; and land reserved for other purposes.
However, some houses built on undesignated land will be spared if councils rule they are in “not-so-dangerous zones”. These will instead be regularised.
Our Harare Bureau understands Government has authorised the demolitions.
Last week, tuckshops, flea market stands and mobile phone booths erected at Harare’s Fourth Street bus terminus were destroyed. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Secretary Engineer George Mlilo said his minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo, communicated with council executives last week giving the green light.
“The demolitions are going ahead, though not everyone is going to be affected. They will affect those who have put up structures on critical sites. Local authorities will regularise houses that are not in dangerous zones, but those under electricity pylons, sitting on sewer lines, wetlands . . . those will definitely be demolished.
“That is the Government position regarding illegal structures; we want to come up with properly-planned structures.”
Illegal settlements have sprouted all over as demand for affordable accommodation and commercial stands grows. Government intends to accelerate proper housing development through public-private partnerships, and targets to construct 125 000 housing units by 2018 under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).
