The government has issued 11,000 title deeds in Harare’s sprawling Epworth suburb since 2023, as part of an initiative to regularise informal settlements throughout the country, a Cabinet Minister has said.
In the lead-up to the August 2023 general elections, the ruling ZANU PF party committed to regularising over 80,000 illegal settlements where tenants faced the risk of having their homes demolished.
To support this effort, the Cabinet endorsed the Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds Programme Consortium, which aims to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance for the issuance of these titles.
On Wednesday, during a session in the National Assembly, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka, who was acting as the leader of government business in Parliament, addressed parliamentarians regarding the progress made in the regularisation exercise. He stated (via <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200034355/zanu-pf-title-deed-bait-misfires">NewsDay</a>):
<blockquote>
The regularisation of such stands is important and the issue of human dignity should be addressed. In Epworth, there are a few people who were given title deeds, but we were told in the meeting that we held recently that there are 11,000 title deeds which have been distributed and that the team is now going to Caledonia and other new residential suburbs.
</blockquote>
Masuka said authorities need to understand why settlers were receiving eviction notices despite the government’s commitment to regularising illegal settlements.
According to government reports, the Harare Metropolitan Province contains approximately 52,000 houses constructed in illegal settlements, with 25,000 of these structures located in Chitungwiza as of 2023.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The government gave titles to 11,000 people in Epworth suburb to make their homes legal. ZANU PF party wants to legalize 80,000 settlements before elections. The government is helping with money and support for this program. The Minister talked about the progress in Parliament. They are giving out more titles in new areas too. They want to know why people are still getting eviction notices. Many houses in Harare are illegal, so they are working to make them legal. It's important for people to have titles to their homes for dignity.

"11 000 Epworth Residents Receive Title Deeds"

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to regularising informal settlements nationwide by providing settlers with land titles and access to essential services.
Shingirayi Mushamba, Chief Director of Spatial Planning and Development in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works said that while some informal structures will be removed to facilitate the provision of essential services, the majority will remain intact.
Mushamba made these remarks during the recent annual general meeting of the Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP) in Harare. He said (via <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200032381/govt-commits-to-regularise-informal-settlements">NewsDay</a>):
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Regularisation including the issuance of proper title. The processes of regularisation require that there be an approved layout plan, approved by a respective local authority working in partnership with government entities.
Once a layout plan is in place, it provides for roads, for future servicing of the land. So what we will be doing essentially in those settlements, we will be looking at the structures that are on the ground, insofar as they fit in a pre-approved layout plan.
Some structures may be held on land which was reserved for certain particular uses. Efforts will be made to relocate those few structures that will be in such spaces. The majority will be regularised in situ.
Regularisation is then going to culminate in a partnership working with an entity called FANGU, which will then bring in services.
That is part of the process that will lead to the issuance of a title so conditions of urban settlement still be maintained.
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Thousands of people across the country reside in informal settlements, primarily located on peri-urban land, where they frequently pay for services that are never delivered.
Many of these desperate home seekers purchase land from politically connected land barons who often operate with impunity, seemingly beyond the reach of the law.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

The government wants to give people living in informal settlements land titles and services like roads and water.
They may remove some structures to make space for these services but most will stay.
People in informal settlements often pay for services they never get.
Some people buy land from powerful people who break the rules.
The government is working with a group called FANGU to provide services and give people land titles.

Government Reaffirms Commitment To Regularise Informal Settlements

The government says it is open to partnerships with the private sector in the provision of infrastructure and key services in new urban settlements.
Local Government and Public Works ministry chief director for spatial planning Shingirai Mashamba on Thursday said that the majority of new settlements lacked social services such as roads, water, power and health facilities.
He made the remarks while addressing delegates during the ground-breaking ceremony for the AfreximBank trade centre in Harare. Mashumba said:
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We also have opportunities right now. When we took over the land reform programme, quite some processes happened and there was some appropriation of urban land so we have significant settlements that are fairly planned but lack services.
There are huge opportunities for captains of industry and commerce for us to partner as we regularise those settlements and we begin to provide onsite and offsite bulk infrastructure in terms of sewer, roads and water facilities, street lighting, health and water and sanitation facilities.
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Mashumba added that the government plans to regularise informal settlements as well as identify old parts of the cities that require renewal. | <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200000306/govt-admits-letting-down-new-settlements">NewsDay</a>

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