Government is over the next two months demolishing over a thousand houses (in Harare alone) the State says were constructed in undesignated areas after it ordered municipalities to “regularise” land use.
The cost of destroying the houses is the same as the one that could have been used to build an equivalent number of new properties for the people who are now set to be made homeless by August this year – The current cost of demolishing a house ranges from $9,000-$13,000 for a small 80-120m2 detached property, up to $20,000-$24,000 for a more substantial property of 200-250m2.
Although costs could be mitigated if there are materials with salvage value, the values of perceived gains are still outweighed by the gross demolition costs thereof.
In Chitungwiza, authorities have begun negotiating with people “illegally” occupying land and have made a police report against groups that have threatened to assault them for seeking to move them.
Over 1 000 unapproved structures have been constructed in the town in recent months, while Harare has roughly 20 illegal settlements to contend with. Many families will see their houses demolished, as unscrupulous property developers led them to believe that the residential stand purchases were above board.
Last week, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Ignatius Chombo ordered councils to formulate firm and time-bound strategies on illegal settlements.
It could not, however, be immediately determined how other local authorities will handle the matter.
Chombo said: “The days of lackadaisical plan implementation are over and I am demanding councils become more serious in this aspect of their work. Accordingly, you are with immediate effect, to come up with a robust timetable for the return of order in the various illegal settlements in your local authorities.
“I am aware that some misguided elements are currently occupying what they deem ‘idle land’ within municipal boundaries and in peri-urban areas with the intention of becoming land barons. Where such invasions do occur, you are to immediately work with your local provincial and district administrators and the Zimbabwe Republic Police to end the invasion and halt any efforts to effect a settlement.”
Following this directive, Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi devised a plan to clear all illegal settlements in the capital within two months, with assistance from the Joint Operations Command for Harare Province.
The plan — shown to the State Media — shows that teams comprising council officials and law enforcement agents will lead the exercise.
Mahachi said notifications have already been dispatched to those building on and/or occupying undesignated areas.
“Council and JOC have audited land occupations in Harare and established the existence of a number of illegal settlements. Occupants of the land were duped to pay varying amounts by space and land barons for land that belongs to council and Government (State land).
“None of that money was ever remitted to City of Harare. To adess the matter, teams comprising council officers and law enforcement agents have been put in place to come up with plans to remove illegal settlements. We have a two-month period within which to do that.”
In Chitungwiza, The State Media witnessed illegal land occupiers constructing small houses in St Mary’s and Manyame, and Town Clerk Mr George Makunde said more such structures were sprouting all over the town.
Mr Makunde said: “We estimate that these illegal structures are now over 1 000. People have gone on a rampage, occupying as much land as they can without council permission.
“We suspect some land barons are behind this.
‘‘They have already started building structures and as council, we have issued ‘Stop Development’ orders to try and halt this lawlessness.”
Shady property developers, usually referred to as “land barons”, take advantage of desperation for affordable housing to “allocate” residential stands in unapproved areas, pocketing huge amounts of money from their criminal enterprise.
Most illegal settlements do not have running water, sewer reticulation systems, roads and electricity.
Some structures in Harare and Chitungwiza have been built on wetlands, under power lines or on top of sewage pipes.
The move also comes after the High Court in 2014 had senior Judge Nicholas Mathonsi ordering Harare and Chitungwiza to stop demolition of illegal residential and business properties.