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Bronfenbrenner Torubanda Herald Reporter
desperate home-seekers at Hopley, a sprawling informal settlement a few kilometres south of Harare, are adamantly building illegal structures at Granville Cemetery, commonly known as KuMbudzi.
Harare City Council recently ordered the residents to stop construction.
A visit by The Herald showed that desperate home-seekers were still building illegal structures encroaching into the cemetery.
It is alleged that some unscrupulous locals were selling pieces of land ranging between 50 and 200 square metres to desperate home seekers at US$700 and US$2 500, respectively.
The structures are being built on unapproved areas on the pretext that they were economic empowerment projects.
Hopley is situated between Boka Tobacco Auction Floors, Waterfalls, Manyame Bridge and Southlea Park.
The informal settlement has no proper social service structures and residents live as squatters on sub–serviced and unapproved land.
Some Hopley residents ordered by council to stop building illegal structures, are bitter about being extorted by people who purport to own the land.
“There are people allocating land to desperate home seekers, yet they know that council prohibited the construction of any structures in this area,” said Mr Lloyd Mukono, one of the home seekers.
“People are being ripped off and scores have lost thousands of dollars. We need council to be clear about this settlement.”
Mr Trust Shanga, a security guard who also bought a “residential stand” in the area said: “They should give us approved stands to build our houses and not to just rob us in broad daylight because we are desperate. I am bitter about their conduct.”
Hopley neither has running water nor sewerage reticulation, roads or electricity and most residents have built shacks or small three-roomed structures using blocks or farm bricks.
The Harare City Council said it will not allow lawlessness and will demolish the illegal structures.
“Our teams are moving around identifying such structures for demolition,” said council spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi.
“The city council is committed to restoring and maintaining the sunshine city status of Harare.”
Online Reporter