via Harare to audit city structures | The Herald 14 November 2014 by Nyemudzai Kakore
Harare City Council and the Provincial Joint Operations Commission (JOC) will audit all city structures and illegal ones will be demolished. Addressing a press conference in Harare yesterday, Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi said the audit will regularise some properties and condemn those built illegally.
Owners of condemned buildings would be asked to voluntarily remove their structures. Failure to do so will see council demolishing the structures.
Dr Mahachi said the audit results would be available in two weeks. Structures built after the audit would be demolished without notice.
The audit would include the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and the President’s Office.
“The audit begins immediately and its results would be openly communicated. After the audit, council will regularise some properties while those on condemned land would be asked to voluntarily remove their structures, failure of which council will do it on their behalf at a cost to the owners,” said Dr Mahachi.
He said residents who are not sure of the legality of their structures should verify with council’s corporate services and housing department.
He urged the public to provide names of individuals engaging in illegal land deals.
“Investigations will also be carried out to establish how the land was sold or parcelled out to the various beneficiaries outside the dictates of council and the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. All those involved in the illicit land deals will be brought to book,” said Dr Mahachi.
Officer Commanding Harare province Senior Assistant Commissioner Clement Munoriarwa warned those caught on the wrong side of the law would be dealt with.
“After the audit, the Zimbabwe Republic Police will descend on all those who would have failed to abide by the city’s regulations,” he said.
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