Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
LOCAL authorities have been called on to follow proper processes and procedures before demolitions and give those on illegal settlements time to move.
This follows recent demolitions in Harare’s Ridgeview and Belvedere where the Harare City Council has been ordered to stop all demolitions after carrying them out without consulting the parent Ministry.
Harare council demolished close to 20 houses in Ridgeview last week, which they claimed were built on land illegally bought from barons.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe condemned the action, and on Tuesday directed the Harare mayor and town clerk to stop the demolitions.
In his keynote address at the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works five-day Strategic Planning Workshop on Wednesday in Bulawayo, the Minister said certain processes and procedures should be followed before demolitions take place.
“We want to bury the land barons as quickly as yesterday. We are all aware of what was happening in Harare and Karoi where the local authorities were on a demolition drive.
“In Harare, they waited for six months for people to build these houses for them to realise they were illegally built. We have put a stop to that, we stopped them yesterday,” he said.
“We are not promoting illegal settlements but we are saying there are certain processes and procedures that must by the local authorities before demolishing people’s homes. If you are to give notice period, it should be adequate.”
He said people cannot be given five days as notice period that they should vacate for demolition to take place as it was inhuman and not acceptable.
Minister Garwe said as Central Government they were saying no to demotions while not also encouraging people to illegally settle themselves.
He added: “Government has expressed concern over people who are settling themselves illegally on urban and communal state land, to counter this challenge, the Ministry has issued a Moratorium on sale of urban state land to pave way for the strengthening of urban land management. Pursuant to that, the Ministry reviewed the urban state land Manual and prepared securitised land tenure documents.”
On the five-day Strategic Planning Workshop that started on Monday and ends on Friday, the Minister said it marks a fundamental milestone in their journey towards achievement of the Vision 2030 of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle income society.
He said they were gathered with a common purpose, to develop a Strategic Plan that will guide their actions and decisions in the coming year (2025).
“Our Strategic Plan will serve as a roadmap, outlining our vision, mission, and the key objectives we aim to accomplish as espoused in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“The document will provide us with a framework to navigate through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, ensuring that we remain focused, agile, and responsive to the evolving needs of our nation,” he said.
Minister Garwe said in an era characterised by rapid change and uncertainty, it was vital to be proactive, forward-thinking, and adaptable, while the Strategic Plan must reflect these qualities, enabling them to anticipate and address emerging trends, harness new technologies, and effectively manage risks.
He urged all to rally behind President Mnangagwa’s clarion call to shun the silo mentality and embrace partnership and cooperation.
“It is through these collaborative efforts that we can shape the future and achieve our shared goals bearing in mind the President’s mantra that, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”.
Bongani Ndlovu