By Own Correspondent| Harare City Council (HCC) is forging ahead with plans to demolish illegal structures in Harare South after a recent report indicated the buildings were located on undesignated land.

The settlements that will be affected include Granville Estate, The Rest, Churu, Lot 1 of Sub A of Lyndhurst, Nyarungu, Chizororo and Eyestone.

However, city fathers have given a reprieve to settlers at 15 other properties, who are now expected to regularise their settlements.

Currently, there is an ongoing inquiry led by High Court judge Justice Tendai Uchena into the sale of State land.

The probe is presently focussing on Harare.

HCC town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango recently told the Uchena-led commission that only three land developers — Fidelity Life Assurance, National Building Society and Hopley B Housing Cooperative — had followed due process in developing their properties.

The city’s chief planner in the department of works, Samuel Nyabezi, also told the commission that a report commissioned by the local authority through Macdoh Planning Consultancy indicated that a number of structures were established on undesignated places.

It similarly recommended the demolition of the illegal structures.

Nyabezi said: “There are two models of development that are being employed there (Harare South). Government also has a parallel development model, which allows people to settle while development of the land continues. But even in the parallel development model, water and sewer systems have to be there first before people settle. People who have not met city requirements are well aware that they can be removed any time.”

The city usually recommends that a road network be developed first before settlements begin.-StateMedia