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Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council yesterday defended its decision to allocate residential stands in the middle of several tarred streets saying the roads were in the wrong place.
The Herald on Monday reported the allocation of new residential stands on tarred streets following an outcry by residents on social media. None of the changes are reflected in the local plan for the area.
Some of the streets visited included a house under construction, already at window level, erected right in the middle of Mabanda Crescent opposite house number 664 in Glen Norah.
There were other two complete cottages in the middle of Narira Crescent in Glen Norah A.
Posting on its Twitter handle, the city said the additional road was put there 20 years ago as an illegal structure and the stands were properly surveyed and allocated lawfully.
“The road is the illegal structure. No one has been prejudiced. All have access to their properties . . .” the council said.
In a further attempt to justify the “mess” the city officials supplied our publication with a document dated June 16, 2021 from the acting director of works directed to the finance director (audit manager), which authorised the creation of stands on roads.
The document accompanied by a layout plan is referenced investigation of Glen Norah residential stands 11368-11391 Glen Norah Township (TPX/WR/48/19, TPX/WR/49/19, TPX/WR/51/19.
“Creation and allocation of stands on road crescents should be reconsidered only when it impedes development within an area,” reads the summary of audit recommendations.
Permanent Secretary of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana took to social media to express disgruntlement over the illegal creation of stands on tarred streets.
“There is absolutely nothing smart about this. The only thing spaghetti about this is the way one has to navigate and weave around the eyesore.
“The microcosm reflects the macrocosm.
“Those who can’t run small things can’t surely run bigger things,” he said.
Combined Harare Residents Association programmes manager Mr Rueben Akili said this is clear evidence of skipping legal processes and lack of a master plan for the city.
“The absence of the citizens’ voice in the planning processes of the city is worrying. The approval process of such stands cannot pass the integrity test,” he said.
Harare Resident Trust director Mr Precious Shumba yesterday said the reality is that the council has failed to enforce provisions of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act.
“The road has existed for a long time. The City of Harare has to produce all the documentation to support their claims by providing dates when the land was identified, surveyed, the responsible town planners, the circulation, environmental management committee minutes, full council resolutions and the land sales,” he said.
A 44-second video clip of comedian Timothy “Timmy” Tapfumaneyi of the “Timmy naBonzo” fame blaming the corrupt council officials for disregarding by-laws has since gone viral.
“I am in Glen Norah A, Chitubu area, Narira Crescent where I grew up. I decided to visit my childhood area, but I was shocked to see a house being constructed in the middle of a road,” he is heard fuming.
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