Council to demolish wall illegally built on railway track

Trust Freddy

Herald Correspondent

HARARE City Council will demolish a security wall built across a railway track in Willowvale Industrial area tomorrow after discovering it was constructed without approval, the Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, has said.

In a post on his official X account, Mayor Mafume said the council’s development control team had visited the owner and advised that all walls require council approval.

“Our development control team has visited the owner. Apparently, they believed NRZ had no objections,” he said.

“We advised that all walls require council approval, and the wall or part thereof within the required distance from the railways will have to be demolished. Demolition will take place tomorrow. Thank you!”

The council’s decision follows widespread public concern after images of a security wall constructed on what appeared to be an active railway line went viral on social media over the weekend.

The public outcry also prompted the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to conduct a fact-finding mission, which revealed that the wall was constructed over a disused and privately owned railway siding that once serviced a now-defunct factory at 44 Tilbury Road.

While the NRZ indicated that it has no jurisdiction over the disused line, it noted that the City of Harare was reviewing the matter.