Harare City Council (HCC) Thursday demolished several “illegal” houses in New Tafara accusing owners of illegally settling themselves on a piece of land reserved for council employees.
Acting town clerk Phakamile Mabhena Moyo confirmed the development. Moyo told NewsDay Zimbabwe:  
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That area was allocated to City of Harare workers who have valid allocation letters signed by the director of Housing and Community Services.
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One of the affected residents, Getrude Kundiranga, said police threw teargas to disperse them. Kundiranga said:
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The police had dogs, guns and they threw teargas canisters at the civilians. My house has been demolished and my three-year-old daughter and I have nowhere to go.
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Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) president Rueben Akili warned home seekers not to buy land from land barons. Akili said:
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It has become a growing trend that as we head towards elections for the past 10 years, there are issues of politically-motivated land invasions.
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Over the years, the local government authority has demolished thousands of homes saying they were built in undesignated sites like wetlands or the land was acquired illegally.
Land barons often have links with political elites who shield them from the law. 
Eventually, it is the home seeker who pays the price in most cases. In a few cases, authorities regularise the illegal structures. 
In a related case, Harare Metropolitan province secretary Tafadzwa Muguti yesterday said 75% of businesses in the capital were operating illegally. 
The demolitions in most cases coincide with the rainy season.
He added that the government will not stand by and entertain lawlessness, “so it is important that we find ourselves doing the right things.”
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