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Herald Reporters
The Government has not started demolishing illegal structures in any part of the country as it awaits an audit report on Chitungwiza and Seke rural, the two areas that will be the first to be affected by the clean-up exercise.
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Deputy Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said in an interview yesterday that the demolitions taking place in areas such as Ruwa were being done by the local authorities.
“The local authorities have their own mandate to clean-up their areas,” he said. “For the Government, we are starting with Seke rural and Chitungwiza. We have already spoken with the residents about this and how the clean-up will be undertaken.”
Deputy Minister Matiza said the clean-up exercise would be done in good faith.
“There is no animosity and we are embarking on this sober mission that will ensure that at the end of the day the cities are clean,” he said. “If there are areas that need to be re-organised and re-planned we will do that in accordance with the by-laws.
“We will give people notice and ample time to vacate, especially those who built in undesignated areas. It is a noble cause that we are tying to do.” Small business owners in Ruwa where some demolitions were carried out on Wednesday have called on Government to assist them in finding proper places from where to conduct their businesses.
“We were still in the process of waiting for council to allocate us proper places, but the demolitions have just come, we have since resorted to selling our goods from our cars,” said Mr Simbarashe Sharuka.
Only illegal tuckshops were being destroyed in the area.
Mr Tichaona Makumbe, one of the affected residents, said the process of legitimising businesses in the area was taking too long.
“I submitted my application to start a business years ago, but our local board has not been forthcoming,” he said.
Government recently ordered an immediate stop to illegal construction of structures on residential stands and set up a team to investigate reports of wanton and illegal allocation of land in all towns and cities beginning with Chitungwiza and Seke.
Chitungwiza council spokesperson Mr Zephaniah Mandirahwe said demolitions were still to start in the area.
Online Reporter