Windfall for Harare City

Innocent Ruwende: Municipal Reporter

Harare City Council will rake in over $6 million in intrinsic land value from the regularisation of illegal settlements on sites zoned for residential purposes.The city has since pocketed $1 million to date, but could have realised more had some residents not resisted paying $1 500 penalty fees, citing economic challenges. The residents are also challenging the penalty fee, which they argue is too high.

According to the recent minutes of the Education, Health, Housing and Licensing Committee, acting housing and social development director Retired Major Matthew Marara briefed the committee on the regularisation of illegal settlements on sites zoned for residential development.

“He (Rtd Major Marara) reported that following the joint familiarisation tour by the Environmental Management and Education, Health, Housing and Community Services and Licensing Committee on May 30, 2016 to June 2, 2016, council resolved to regularise illegal settlements on sites zoned for residential purposes subject to procedural planning processes and payment of intrinsic land value, regularisation fees and any other related charges,” reads the minutes.

“The committee noted that all beneficiaries were registered on the city’s housing waiting list in terms of the housing policy. There were 4 058 beneficiaries on 16 sites zoned residential that were being regularised.”

The sites are in Mufakose, Budiriro, Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Glen Norah and Glen View.

Rtd Major Marara said $1 146 006 had been paid to date as intrinsic land value out of a possible $5 563 000 and none of the beneficiaries had paid regularisation fees ($1 500 penalty fees). He said beneficiaries had constituted pay schemes and contributed towards development of on-site infrastructure.

The committee said there was need for the regularisation of open spaces to be referred to the Environment Management Committee, which deals with change of use.

The committee noted that there were 14 reported new land invasion cases as at October 31, 2016. Such cases were recorded in Dzivarasekwa, Glen View, Kambuzuma, Glen Norah, Hatcliffe, Warren Park, Kuwadzana and Mufakose.

“The acting director of Housing and Social Development (Rtd Major Marara) further reported that all the new land invasions after the joint tour had been reported to the Zimbabwe Republic Police for prosecution and 48 hour notices were saved to the invaders in consultation with Director of Works, reads the minutes.

“The majority of the invaders were still on site, hence there was need for urgent enforcement action from Harare Municipal Police and ZRP.”