The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Matabeleland North Provincial Lands Committee is processing the relocation and assessment of illegal settlers who are dotted around the province in a bid to bring sanity in the affected areas.
Areas that have been affected include Bubi, Lupane and Umguza districts. In an interview, Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, Cde Richard Moyo said the province wanted to process the relocation exercise in a flawless manner.
“We have had people that have settled in the province for a long time, some have been here for almost 30 years, this is where their life revolves around. Some settled illegally and we have to regularise this. So we will embark on an exercise where they are relocated to other areas,” he said.
Minister Moyo said he had met the Provincial Lands Committee to discuss the matter.
“I met the committee and we agreed that if we have people who settled illegally but they are in a conducive area and they are not interfering with other people, we will regularise them so that their stay is legal and they have supporting documentation that enables them to stay,” he said.
Cde Moyo said there were, however, people who are settled in areas where they have to be moved.
“For those who are in places that are not suitable for human settlement, we will have to remove them unfortunately and take them to better places, but we have to first identify land that is suitable,” he said.
Cde Moyo said the resettlement of the people would be done in a peaceful manner.
“We will do this exercise in the most professional way, we will not chase people into the open air, that is not fair. We will identify areas that are suitable that have clean water, health facilities and schools that are nearby,” he said.
He also said the Government wanted to give the settlers adequate time to pack their belongings and to transfer their children to new schools.
Cde Moyo said families will also be given enough time to build structures in their new areas and then move when they have completed building.
