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compelling them to vacate the area.
Politician Mr Justine Zvandasara’s co-operatives sold stands on land belonging to Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Nyasha Chikwinya.
The High Court declared Cde Chikwinya the legitimate occupant of the land that Mr Zvandasara sold to unsuspecting home-seekers.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that Mr Zvandasara, chairman of Harare North Housing Co-operative Union, was illegally occupying the 84-hactre land.
The land was duly allocated to Cde Chikwinya who is a Zanu-PF Central Committee member.
However, a property developer linked to the housing project yesterday said efforts would be made to incorporate the settlers.
EARLIER REPORT
Alpha Developers chairman Mr Jonathan Gapare said: “We are not being vindictive we are being constructive.”
The Herald visited the area yesterday afternoon and most of the illegal settlers were busy with construction work and professed ignorance about the eviction order.
“I don’t know anything about this eviction. I bought and I was allocated this stand. I can even show all the payments I made to the co-operative,” Ambuya Cecilia Mashuku said.
She went on to produce her receipts indicating payment to Kuvakaishe Housing Co-operative- a housing co-operatives under Mr Zvandasara.
To date, Ambuya Mashuku has paid more than US$500 for the 300 square metre stand.
Another resident who declined to be named said she paid more than US$1 000 to Mr Zvandasara’s co-operative for a stand in Hatcliffe Extension.
“I am a widow and I have paid more than US$1 000 to the Greater Women’s Housing Co-operative led by Mr Zvandasara. We pay US$55 per month to the co-operative for my 400 square metre stand,” she said.
She said home-seekers were advised that the funds would go towards servicing of the stands.
“The co-operative leader collects the funds and always tells us that they are in the process of servicing the stands so that there is running water and sewerage,” she said.
Another resident Sherperd Kwete said he had paid more than U$300 for the stand and this would be a big blow to his family if evicted.
“This is the only home we know so the eviction order would affect us as a family. We are appealing to the authorities to take measures and protect us,” Kwete said.
Several other residents interviewed also expressed ignorance to reports that they were building illegal structures.
According to the building by laws for any housing project to commence there must be functional water and sewer reticulation systems.
Also required is development of roads, which must be at sub-grade level before housing construction is started.
Only the city planner issues the certificate, which paves way for building of structures.
However, several people in Hatcliffe have started building structures without plans and some have even completed building four and seven roomed houses.
Since there is no running water they are drawing water from unprotected wells and using bush and pit latrines.
A public health specialist in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Portia Manangazira blamed these sprouting illegal residential areas for contributing to the increase in diarrhoeal diseases.
Dr Manangazira, who is the epidemiological and disease control director in the ministry, said home seekers are moving into areas with no water and sewer systems forcing them to dig wells and latrines as a temporary measure.
In Hatcliffe, some wells are less than five meters from a neighbour’s pit latrine.
A borehole must be at least 30 metres from any source of fecal matter.
“According to the Public Health Act, tap water is the only acceptable source of drinking water in urban areas. If it is for watering the garden, it should be clearly labeled borehole water not for drinking,” she said.
Online Reporter