The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
HOMEseekers who fell prey to land barons and bought residential stands and built houses at undesignated and unapproved areas might get a reprieve as Government is planning to regularise their settlements.
However, the homeseekers will have to pay twice for the land as there is need to service the areas and provide other amenities, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe has said. Addressing local authorities and District Development Co-ordinators in Midlands in Gweru last week Minister Garwe said Government will however, demolish illegal structures and houses that were built along sewerage pipes and those along power lines.
Minister Garwe said homeseekers who were duped by land barons who either settled them at undesignated or did not complete the servicing of their stands but went on to build house will have to pay for the servicing of the stands again as well as development for supporting infrastructure such as roads, sewerage, water and electricity connection. He said the fleeced homeseekers would have to institute legal proceedings to recover money from the land barons while Government on the other hand repossess the land and develops it.
“There are land developers and co-operatives that were given licences by Government to develop residential areas so that people will have decent shelters. On the other hand, the developers were also supposed to benefit. They then gave land to homeseekers which was not developed. They decided to take money from home seekers but did not do anything. The homeseekers, because of desperation, constructed the houses.
“We have observed that in many urban areas, there are very beautiful houses that were built in areas that do not have roads, sewer and electricity. This is why as Government we are coming to ensure that water, sewerage, roads and other services are provided.
“This is not going to be done for free but we want participation of the home owners themselves working together with Government. Unfortunately, the homeseekers will have to pay for the development and provision of services as well as the regularisation of their settlements. This also involves the processing of title deeds,” he said.
Minister Garwe said Government will also withdraw and revoke development permits issued to land developers and co-operatives who fleeced desperate homeseekers.
“We are aware of the haphazard manner in which some of the houses were being built to an extent that some of the houses were built along sewerage and electricity lines and near major roads, unfortunately these are going to be demolished. We will however, try and relocate them or built flats for them to stay that are land economic.”
He said Government will also repossess land that was misused by land barons where they failed to meet their side of the bargain.
