Housing Minister professor Paul Mavima has defended the demolition of illegally built houses, saying the government is resorting to the measure (MoU with the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT)) to to curb unplanned settlements and protect land reserved for essential public services.
In an interview with 263Chat, the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities said residential developments must be properly planned and approved by the relevant local authorities before construction begins.
Mavima said many illegal settlements lacked basic infrastructure including water supplies, sewer systems, roads and electricity making it difficult for the government to provide essential services.
“Where you see government coming in to do those demolitions, it is a last resort for government, because we can’t have settlements that are irregular,” he said.
He warned that land reserved for schools, clinics, recreational parks and roads should not be occupied by residential developments saying such areas must be protected for their intended public use.
The minister also issued a warning to land barons accused of illegally subdividing and selling land saying those found responsible would face prosecution.
Addressing concerns over arrests linked to illegal land allocations, Mavima said several suspected land barons had previously been arrested and warned that authorities would take action against those implicated in unlawful developments.
“As we go out to regularise these settlements, each and every one of those that we find to have illegal parceled-out land is going to face the wrath of the law,” he said.
Mavima urged prospective homebuyers to carry out due diligence before purchasing residential stands, advising them to verify with local authorities that the land had the necessary planning permissions and development approvals.
He said the government had introduced a human settlements policy to guide developers and those involved in allocating land for residential purposes.
The policy is intended to promote orderly urban development and ensure that new settlements meet the required planning standards.
Mavima expressed hope that greater compliance with the policy would reduce future demolitions and encourage the development of properly planned communities.
The government has made orderly human settlements part of its broader development ambitions under Vision 2030 which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.
