Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
IN recent years, Beitbridge town has experienced rapid growth in both population and infrastructure, leading to several service delivery challenges linked to the planning of settlements and businesses.
As the town progresses toward modernisation and evolves into a contemporary city, the necessity for zoning regulations has become increasingly clear.
Zoning plays a crucial role in directing the city’s expansion, optimising land use and promoting sustainable and efficient infrastructure development.
Stakeholders are now advocating for the zoning of properties in urban development to ensure sustainable growth and address environmental concerns.
The town’s ambitious expansion plans, which include new suburbs and a surge in businesses such as lodges, heavy industries, private schools and liquor stores, have ignited discussions about the imperative for proper zoning regulations.
Many residents are converting their homes into business premises, which poses a threat to social cohesion, contributes to moral decline and strains service delivery in residential areas.
Beitbridge District is home to 71 registered primary schools and 18 secondary schools, yet it is estimated that more than 20 unregistered private schools operate within the town.
This has led to challenges for pupils enrolled at unregistered institutions, particularly when attempting to register for public examinations.
Experts assert that effective zoning can guide development, reduce infrastructure costs and enhance service delivery efficiency.
“Zoning is done to separate uses so that incompatible uses are not located adjacent to each other. In town planning, care is taken to harmonise uses so that settlements are livable and nuisances are minimised,” said Rural and Urban Planning Expert, Dr Percy Toriro.
“There may arise a need to change uses and introduce uses that were not available in an area. This process follows a very clearly laid-out procedure, which includes seeking the consent of both the neighbours as well as the planning authorities. If all this is followed and relevant technical assessments for suitability and availability of parking and other infrastructure needs are done diligently, only acceptable, critically-needed conversions take place.”
As part of the central Government’s bigger plans to restore sanity in urban settlement, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde Daniel Garwe last month issued a 90 days’ moratorium in terms of section 69 of the Regional and Country Planning that prohibits Local Authorities (LAs) from exercising planning in respect of change of reservations and change of land uses, effective May 2.
The moratorium came in following growing concerns about unregulated infrastructural developments on greenways, the sprouting of private schools and crèches in suburbs.
Already, authorities at the Beitbridge Municipality have started complying with the ministerial directive.
At the beginning of the year, the council, working with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, carried out a blitz to close illegal private schools that have mushroomed in residential areas.
Property owners around the town are changing the use from homes to schools or other businesses willy-nilly.
By prioritising zoning regulations, Beitbridge can create a bright future for its residents, promoting sustainable development, economic growth and a high quality of life.
Beitbridge town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, says the moratorium gives the council time to reflect and retool their planning.
“The need to zone is always there, but property owners apply for change of use, which the law allows,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
“The Government has suspended the change of use or change of reservations for three months. As a local authority, we hope this will help us and we will reflect on what we have done and what we need to do going forward.
“At the same time, let me point out that other property owners also have the power to say no (object) to these changes of use as they have a right to be consulted.”
The town has an estimated population of 100 000 people and over 17 000 properties with new suburbs coming up at a faster pace on both the eastern and western part of the town.
An infrastructure development enthusiast, Mr Nqobile Ncube of Vhembe View suburb said the increase of unregistered schools was compromising the quality of education.
“Zoning is crucial for our town’s development. It will help us create a liveable and sustainable environment for our residents. At the same time, I commend the Local Government Minister (Garwe) for stepping in to restore local authority to what they used to do on proper planning,” he said.
“Our worry as a community is that there is now a mix-up of businesses and homes in our town and this is compromising service delivery and social cohesion.
“For instance, when you convert a residential house into a school, you are stretching services that were meant for say 10 people to service 400 people. Therefore, this militates against the planned carrying capacity of water, sewer and electricity, among others.”
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) publicity Manager Ms Amkela Sidange, said zoning land uses will help protect natural resources and promote sustainable development.
“Our concern as EMA is that these conversions on land use systems are done on ecologically sensitive areas. For instance, we are having a massive growth in the petroleum sector, where each corner is now a fuel station.
“These end up encroaching on ecologically sensitive areas, thereby increasing the chances of pollution of such areas. Let the conversation not interfere with ecologically sensitive areas,” said Ms Sidange.
The general feeling among key stakeholders, including residents now, is that by prioritising zoning regulations, Beitbridge Municipality can create a bright future for its residents, promote sustainable development, economic growth and a high quality of life.
Bongani Ndlovu