adminHerald Reporter
All local authority areas are being investigated to ensure proper use of land and if there were any breaches the law will take its course, Parliament’s Portfolio committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing has been told.
Local Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary Mr Zvinechimwe Churu said corrective action will be taken either by way of regularising settlements or relocating those on wetlands.
The committee, chaired by Cde Miriam Chikukwa, wanted to know what Government was doing to stop people building houses on wetlands.
“The Ministry of Local Government has instituted investigations to all local authorities to establish the extend of the land abuse. But when abuse was criminal we refer it to law enforcement agencies so that the law can take its course,” said Mr Churu.
He said land barons who duped desperate and unsuspecting home seekers will be dealt with in terms of the law.
Several home seekers have been conned by land barons who sold land which did not belong to them.
Examples are in Harare South and Nyatsime in Chitungwiza where those holding on to offer letters from Chitungwiza municipality are failing to access their residential stands after land barons sold the stands to others, who are now victims of fraud.
There was also need for a clear ecological definition of wetlands so there was no ambiguity.
“There are certain areas where it is not clear whether it is a wetland or not. So from a scientific point of view there is need for that clarity so that there is no ambiguity on what a wetland is,” said Mr Churu.
Legislators asked why illegal settlements were allowed to sprout with nothing done until the houses were built and then local authorities rushing to demolish them. They wanted to know why local authorities were failing to nip the illegal settlements in the bud before they were built.
Mr Churu said the Government has always been clear on its zero tolerance on illegal settlement. Operation Murambatsvina was one such attempt to ensure that there was order in cities and towns.
The committee also got an update on what the Government was doing to provide shelter those that were affected by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani.
Online Reporter