via Human wall blocks Chitungwiza demolitions | The Herald January 25, 2014 Local News
Chitungwiza residents yesterday blocked their town council from demolishing illegal structures after a hired bulldozer destroyed a house in the area.Scores of residents stood in front of the bulldozer and threatened to harm the driver if he dared go further.
The bulldozer reduced one house into a pile of rubble before residents made their stand. The owner of the house was away when his property was demolished.
More than 14 000 residential stands allocated in Chitungwiza and Ma- nyame Rural District Council are illegal and structures built on them should be demolished.
Of these, 8 260 stands are in Chitu- ngwiza and while 6 200 are in Seke communal lands under Manyame RDC. The land had been earmarked for other purposes such as clinics, churches, schools, cemeteries, recreational activities and roads. Some of the stands are under high voltage electricity pylons.
In an interview with The Herald, the supervisor of the demolitions, Mr Tendai Zvobgo, said he was directed by town planner Mr Conrad Muchesa to raze some structures on illegally allocated land.
“Mr Muchesa gave me an order to only destroy houses which are under construction in this area but when people saw us they thought we were going to destroy all the houses in the area”, he said.
Chitungwiza acting town clerk Ms Priccillar Vengesayi yesterday said the council intended to demolish more than 200 properties.
“We gave the residents an order stopping them from developing properties which are deemed to be illegal. When we started the exercise we notified the police but they declined to be part of our exercise.
“It was difficult for the council to continue with the demolitions because it was now life threatening to our workers who were carrying out the exercise,” she said.
She said residents had built the houses without council’s approval. Residents, however, said council did not give them prior warning and argued that they were paying rates.
“We were not notified by the council before the demolitions. Where should we go if all our houses are demolished? We pay rates and rentals to the same council which wants to demolish our houses today. Our houses are registered by the council,” said Mr Lonely Tembo.
Mr Maneku Khumalo, another resident, added: “We bought our houses from registered housing co-operatives but we are surprised that the council wants to demolish our houses in the rainy season. Council should first relocate us to other areas instead of ambushing us.”
COMMENTS
it sounds funny , done by zimbabweans, to zimbabweans in zimbabwe.
War vets steal the land then illegally sell it to gullible desparate then they perform murambatsvina again. Let’s cancel these mujibhas ill gotten pensions then jail them with hard labour.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZVOBGO,where was Vengesai during all these constructions?Police are justified to refuse to be part of this shame act.You have council police to enforce council by laws and why couldnt they stop these allocations.I think this is not it shelve this indefinately.Vana vovata kupi?You are to blame for all this.Council police are always clamping cars why couldnt they do that long back to owners of these land.
This my friends is the beginning of resistance. The only thing is the opposition might find itself in an embarrassing position. They control the councils and Chombo makes the decisions. If the opposition want to have any clout this is their chance to oppose Chombo. Let him fire them for refusing to make Zimbabweans homeless. Watch this space……
Amen, bro.
These houses were built with local authority approving the plans !Who is fooling who? DID THE GOVT SLEEP ON THE JOB? The current lOCAL GOVT minister was substantive and read about stands being sold there !Theland barons or who ever cannot parcel out land in a council area during the night for govt officials to wake and see the houses for the first time the next morning! Nehanda forbid! The council/govt should give alternative stands and build new houses b4 demolitions for the cheated residents ! Govt should look at the circumstances and not be sadistic by just descending on weak people! Hazvina kunaka ! in Chinos Shonglish we say“this is not beautiful. Its uglyful“!
I rest my case.We are amongst you. you Watch this space ………..
Are the uglyfull chinos buying land in these areas seeing Zanu is right up their you know what.
Council might be wrong but chitungwiza everything is done in disordely manner some house and their location along streams are a danger to the owners as well
Council might be wrong but chitungwiza everything is done in disordely manner some houses and their location along streams are a danger to the owners as well
Right now there is new cooperative along chitungwiza rd called mabhunu muchapera allocating stand near a dam. There is also someone who is building a house near a stream near a stream after chaminuka st in st marys. Where is the council?
Bhora mughedhi goooal ……
Before destroying any structure, those who “illegally” allocated the stands must be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed. They must also be made to refund the money they collected from the “sale” of the stands.
And Council must also go to jail for accepting rate payments from illegal structures. Cry my beloved country!
We almost there that is the beginning of things to happen. Well done Chitungwiza residents to stand against this barbaric ZPF illegal gvt