adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
GOKWE South Rural District Council planning committee on development has adopted the guidelines and recommendations for compensation of local communities displaced by growth point expansion and rural development projects.
The guidelines and recommendations which were produced by a Midlands Working Group, which had representatives from the Government and the eight rural district councils in the province, was supported by Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT).
Gokwe South RDC chairperson for the planning committee Councillor Tawanda Rukanda said the document will now be taken to a full council for adoption.
He said the councillors were happy that if adopted, the guidelines and recommendations will address issues to do with compensation and relocation of communities when the RDC expands.
“So, the planning committee has adopted the guidelines and recommendations for compensation of local communities displaced by growth point expansion and rural development projects,” said Clr Rukanda.
“The document will now be tabled and discussed during the next full council meeting before being adopted as a resolution for use by council.”
Gokwe South RDC chief executive Mr Sailas Velani said the guidelines will go a long way in addressing land challenges that they are facing as a council.
He said there were traditional leaders in his area who were allegedly selling State land a few metres from the 10km council boundary in anticipation of its growth.
“An appetite for money is now rampant among some unscrupulous people who are selling State land around the RDC,” said Mr Velani.
“Soon, council will be approaching such illegal settlements and I believe these guidelines and recommendations are in line with our challenges in terms of addressing (issues to do with) relocating communities and their subsequent compensation.”
Assistant district administrator for Gokwe South Mr Stewart Gwatiringa said it was inevitable that growth points where going to expand in line with Government agenda of turning the country into a middle-income economy by 2030.
“Development is coming and growth points are going to expand,” he said.
“There is, however, need for a uniform manner or policy or guidelines in dealing with such expansion which will displace communities and, therefore, the importance of these guidelines and regulations from the Midlands Working Group supported by Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation.”
The guidelines and recommendations are coming at a time when some growth points in the province are growing, while there has not be meaningful development in others since Government designated certain sites as either controlled business centres or growth points earmarked for urbanisation.
Online Reporter