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Most demolitions result when people build homes on prohibited areas like wetlands

THE current spate of demolitions by local authorities should not be happening, period. It is yet another sign of decision-makers managing symptoms instead of curing the disease. It is yet another illustration of ineptitude and inefficiency by the municipal authorities.
Why should authorities only wake up to the undesirability of illegal structures when buildings are already complete?

Does this mean from the time of foundation level to completion of these structures, the relevant offices that should be regulating these developments will be closed?

We have clear laws that outline the procedures to be followed when erecting a building within urban zones. Ownership of land has to be certified. Building plans have to be approved. Qualified and authorised inspectors have to sign off each set stage of construction before the next one can be embarked on.

Why then are people being allowed to build as they wish and wherever they deem desirable? Why do the relevant authorities only seem to be aware of the problem when so many people have already poured in so much investment in building?

Obviously there is complicity in the local authorities or they would never watch structures going up on land that has been earmarked for other purposes or which has been declared reserved in order to protect the environment.

Because the municipal authorities are lax about maintaining standards, gaps are being created for charlatans to exploit the massive housing backlogs which face all cities in the country. Why else would this be happening unless the gatekeepers are the ones benefiting from the chaotic settlement and building?

A case in point is that of the Chitungwiza debacle where powerful figures in the local authority abused their positions to fleece people of their money by selling land to which the conmen had no legal entitlement.

While those whose structures are being demolished are to be pitied for their losses, they are also to blame for trying to use short-cuts.

But before one embarks on such a massive project like home construction, surely it is only prudent that one invests time into due diligence to ensure that everything is aboveboard. This is not the first time that demolitions have occurred and citizens need to learn from the example of others, not wait until disaster strikes them.

In the same vein, it is also terrible to note that illegal structures have gone up again in most areas that were cleaned up some years ago. These eyesores have resulted in the depression of property areas in the older low density suburbs of the city, disadvantaging the majority of property owners in the area.

In addition most of these structures are not accompanied by adequate ablution facilities, thereby setting up the areas as health time bombs.

It is time that we all learnt to do things by the book, starting with the local authorities. Once it is demonstrated that no unregularised building will be allowed to go up, people will stop even thinking of trying to erect such structures.