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From Munyaradzi Doma in Zvishavane
Runde Rural District Council is battling with continued land invasions where villagers are illegally settling in areas meant for new developments, leaving authorities with no choice but to regularise some of the settlements.

Some of the invasions are in the Kosvoro area and the issue was discussed in a recent full council meeting.

Chairperson of the Runde RDC, Councillor Norman Sibanda, confirmed the illegal settlements.

“The moment some of our villagers are aware of new settlements that are to be set up, they then take advantage of that and settle illegally,” he said. “They pounce on the land and that has really been a challenge, but we are working on it so that we have order.

“We cannot have people doing that, so it’s a matter we are dealing with.”

In the full council minutes, it is reported that after some surveying was done in the Kosvoro settlement area, it was found that 78 houses had been illegally constructed in the area.

“Ten houses were still under construction,” the council heard. “Of these, it had been noted that six houses were within the road servitude of 70 metres. Sadly, however, it had been observed that the number of illegal structures had continued to rise, an indication that the residents had defied the directive to stop developing structures.

“It was now up to council to consider either to demolish or regularise the structures.”

The full council meeting agreed that “the illegal structures, which were constructed before the survey was conducted and the directive issued be regularised and that the occupants of those stands be given the right of first refusal to purchase regularised stands and that those who had defied the order be not considered”.