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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau
Government will soon launch a programme that will ensure there are no structures developed on undesignated land in both rural and urban councils in a bid to bring sanity to housing development in the country.

In an interview on the sidelines of a Zanu-PF Midlands provincial coordinating committee meeting over the weekend, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said they were waiting for findings from the Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of State Land to start evictions and demolitions of illegal structures.

Chaired by Justice Tendai Uchena, the Commission of Inquiry was established to probe the sale of State land in and around urban areas since 2005.

“We have seen the surge in illegal structures in undesignated areas across the country and we are waiting for findings from the Commission of Inquiry. We are going to see evictions of illegal settlers and demolition of structures that were built in undesignated areas,” he said.

Minister Moyo, however, said those that were duped into constructing structures by illegal and unregistered land developers would likely be compensated by Government.

He said there had been cases of unregistered private land developers duping home seekers by selling them land without the knowledge of local authorities.

“We are looking to raise funds to compensate innocent home seekers who were duped into constructing structures by unregistered or unscrupulous land developers. There is a silver lining for them. We don’t appreciate illegal settlements. There should be sanity and be order in housing development in the urban areas,” said Minister Moyo.

During the clean-up campaign in Senga on Friday, Gweru Mayor Josiah Makombe told Minister Moyo that the local authority was grappling illegal settlements which were sprouting.

Minister Moyo said: “Here in Gweru near Midlands State University, there is a housing scheme which allocated people land in wetlands. Some houses are in a river and we can’t allow that. This has been happening in Shurugwi, Gokwe, Zvishavane and many other towns. Over 1 000 stands in Gokwe were allocated to home seekers illegally and those who did that will be dealt with accordingly. Once the commission findings are made public, we act.”