Zimpapers Logo

Shelter is one of the basic human rights, according to the United Nations and it appears heartless for local authorities to demolish houses for people, especially during this winter season when the temperatures are freezing cold.

Perhaps people will be persuaded to condemn Harare City Council for embarking on a demolition exercise of houses in 19 identified illegal locations as the local authority moves to arrest vice and restore the city to its former Sunshine City status.

While people who build houses on undesignated land only have themselves to blame when the bulldozers come calling, the MDC-T-dominated council is also culpable in standing idly by as houses go up, only to move in to demolish structures instead of staying true to the dictum; a stitch in time saves nine.

If the truth be told, the mushrooming of illegal settlements in the city should be condemned and the law should definitely take its course on the law-breakers without fear or favour if we are not to slide into the status of condemned African capitals.

Inasmuch as the people in Harare and any other local authorities in Zimbabwe have the right to own pieces of land to construct houses, residents should know the correct stages to be followed.

We implore the people to be wary of some bogus housing co-operatives that fleece them of their hard-earned money by hoodwinking them into constructing houses on land that does not belong to them.

There are some unscrupulous councillors who also encourage people to build houses on undesignated areas only to abandon them when the law starts taking its course.

This should be condemned in the strongest terms because hapless residents lose thousands of dollars as their houses are demolished.

It is always wise for people to establish the legal status of the land they are buying before they part with their hard- earned money.

The council offices and Deeds Office are there and people can access some of the crucial information on land they are buying for a nominal fee.

Prospective home-owners should be warned that there is no free land in towns and cities and those who want land should follow the correct channels and offenders should face the music.

Although the services of lawyers might be expensive, it is prudent to engage one to assist in searching for crucial documents to avoid being fleeced.

Are City Fathers sleeping on duty to the extent that houses are built and completed without someone in the whole city administration calling for a halt to such activities?

We will not be blamed to insinuate that some people at Town House will be lining their pockets by receiving some inducements from land barons to allow the people to construct houses, but do not stand by them when the structures are pulled down.

We challenge the City Fathers to activate strict surveillance mechanisms to ensure that no illegal settlements are erected in undesignated areas and regulations are put in place to ensure vulnerable people are protected.

No housing co-operative should be allowed to sell stands to the people before advertising the land in widely read newspapers, radio and television stations and giving those with objections the opportunity to respond accordingly.

Government should also come up with mandatory sentences for those found guilty of cheating or causing residents to be milked of their money through unscrupulous land deals.

Local authorities and Government should play a leading role in the provision of housing for the poor in all urban areas because this is the most exploited class of society.