Harare City Council has backtracked on its plans to
demolish illegal structures in the capital and is now exploring a legal route
to a address the problem, an official said yesterday.
Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said the latest
position was taken in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that outlawed
48-hour notices to demolish structures.
“The reason (for the change in strategy) is that there is a
recent court ruling outlawing 48-hour notices to demolish structures,
therefore, we stand guided by this,” he said.
“We will proceed by way of urgent chamber applications in
the hope that the court will proceed by issuing summons for eviction. that way
we can stop this illegal invasion and development taking place.”
Last Thursday, the local authority threatened to demolish
all illegal structures on recently invaded land within 48 hours, accusing the
occupants of riding on political muscle and creating chaos within the city by
invading land reserved for other purposes.
“Harare City Council is moving to demolish all illegal
structures on recently invaded land.
“There has been an influx of land invasions by people
claiming political clout,” City of Harare said on its official Facebook page.
The areas which have recently seen the sprouting of illegal
residential structures are mainly in Harare South and some of the city’s
western suburbs.
Chideme said council was confident that the courts would
decide in a manner that would bring back sanity to the city.
“These people invading land illegally are being misled (by
land barons) and they will lose their investments eventually when the court
gives its order,” he said.
Harare has witnessed endless land invasions as land barons
riding on political connections continue to parcel out land to people without
the consent and approval of council. Standard
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