By Marshall Bwanya
HARARE — Fewer than 100 properties across Harare could face demolition when the council’s 14-day compliance deadline expires, with officials warning that enforcement will follow against owners who fail to regularise their developments.
City of Harare spokesperson Stanley Gama said the council wanted to legalise settlements where possible, but would not tolerate continued breaches of planning regulations.
“The City of Harare has no appetite to demolish people’s homes.
“We want to regularise them,” he said.
Gama blamed the crisis on the manipulation of the 2004 Parallel Development Policy, which was intended to provide affordable housing but allegedly enabled land barons to sell stands and facilitate construction without essential infrastructure, including water, sewer systems, schools and health facilities.
He said the council began regularising affected settlements in 2017, but some developers and residents continued operating outside the law.
Property owners face a minimum penalty of US$1,500, or its equivalent in ZiG, although the final amount will depend on the nature and severity of the breach.
Council said payment plans were available to help residents comply.
Gama warned, however, that financial flexibility would not mean leniency towards those who ignored the law.
“Non-compliance with the law must not be affordable otherwise the motivation to be law abiding can be diminished if non-compliance is not punitive,” he said.
City of Harare said its initial assessment identified fewer than 100 properties that could be affected, particularly developments in sensitive areas that cannot be regularised.
Demolitions will begin after the 14-day period expires, but only as a last resort.
Residents who bought stands in good faith from housing cooperatives or developers may seek regularisation, with the council acknowledging that some were victims of land sales schemes.
Gama cited Chiremba Park, Masasa Park and Audor Investment in Southlea Park as examples of developments where progress had been made towards regularisation.
He said the council had decentralised services, including building-plan approvals, to make compliance easier, while law enforcement agents had been placed on high alert to prevent further illegal construction and land sales.
“Illegal construction is to stop forthwith,” Gama said.
