Govt condemns Harare houses built on tarred streets

Blessings Chidakwa
Municipal Reporter
Government has condemned Harare City Council’s allocation of stands on tarred streets, a move the residents have also criticised despite the local authority justifying the mess.

This comes after the corruption-riddled Harare City Council torched a storm after facilitating and allocating several residential stands on tarred streets in the city.

The council also converted recreation areas and wetlands to housing stands and wantonly disregarded laid-down by-laws to take rich pickings from desperate home seekers.

Some of the streets in Glen Norah A were converted into stands, with a house under construction, already at window level being erected right in the middle of Mabanda Crescent opposite house number 664.

There are other two cottages which have been completed and waiting for final touches in the middle of Nharira Crescent in Glen Norah A.

Another completed structure built next to house number 1486 close by Nharira Street around Glen Norah Flats was also erected in the middle of the road two months ago.

Secretary for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said they have asked the Provincial Spatial Planning Team to look into this matter urgently across the province.

“Those roads are more than 30 years old. How does someone now build on top of a road and council says the road which is tarred was wrongly cited?

“We have master plans for all local authorities going back over 60 years. The maps exist. We need to remind some council officials that we need an organised local government,” he said.