HUNDREDS of houses were yesterday destroyed by the Sheriff of the High Court at an area known as Mokum in Harare South after owners of the land on which the houses were built were granted a writ of ejection.
The houses were reduced to rubble, leaving thousands homeless when the writ of ejection granted in favour of Tobacco Sales Limited (TSL) and HGP Vostermans Private Limited was effected.
This came as Government has intensified the fight against land barons, politicians and co-operative chairpersons illegally settling people on council, private and State land.
The High Court order was granted on November 12, 2014 permitting TSL and HGP Vostermans Ltd to access the land that had been illegally taken over by Tirivepano housing co-operative and Nyasha dzaMwari housing co-operative.
The writ of ejection also granted the police the go-ahead to arrest those engaging in unlawful activities on the land and help restore law and order.
Officials from the Sheriff of the High Court destroyed the houses under the watchful eye of the police to avoid violence. The two housing co-operatives illegally occupied the land last year and sold residential stands of different sizes to unsuspecting prospective home owners for between $2 500 and $5 000.
The co-operatives’ senior officials Mr Caiphas Njaira and Mr Obert Masaletulini disappeared when the demolitions started.
National Assembly member for Harare South Shadreck Mashayamombe appealed to people in his constituency not to buy residential stands without verifying the status of the land.
“I want to warn people in the constituency not to resettle themselves,” he said.
“They must check with the Ministry of Local Government and the city council before getting the land.”
Mashayamombe said he will compile a report and submit it to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to find ways to assist those displaced.
“In the meantime, we will approach TSL and try to negotiate with them to accommodate the people until we find a suitable area to relocate them,” he said.
“We will also reach out to them to find out if they cannot compensate those who lost their houses.”