The government has ordered the Harare City Council to stop its controversial house demolition exercise.
This came after a public outcry over the recent demolition of houses in Belvedere, which the City of Harare claims were built on land illegally acquired from land barons.
The council had initially planned to demolish over 5,000 houses in illegal settlements across the city, citing the need to enforce around 37 High Court orders.
The targeted properties, mostly located in high-density suburbs such as Kuwadzana, Budiriro, Glen View, and Mabvuku, were said to be built on land reserved for public amenities.
In an interview with NewsDay, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe condemned the council’s actions, describing them as “inhumane.” Said Garwe:
What City Council is doing is inhumane and it is not acceptable. A person takes six months to build a house and you are watching.
Then you want to come and give them a notice of 7 days to come and demolish the house. You give them a notice to relocate, where can they relocate in that short period?
At least they should give them four or five months so that they can build elsewhere.
Yes, Mafume [Harare major Jacob] has a court order, but it does not give him the right to cause people pain and suffering.
From now on, no house will be demolished. We are stopping them from doing so. That’s the government’s position.
Mafume confirmed the suspension of the demolitions, saying the council would comply with the Local Government Ministry’s order to pause the enforcement of the law for the time being.
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