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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
GOKWE South Rural District Council (RDC) has adopted a new policy to deal with unsanctioned developments and curb illegal parcelling of land by unscrupulous traditional leaders within its boundaries.

In an interview on the sidelines of the compensation of local communities displaced by growth point expansion and rural development projects policy development process workshop in Kwekwe yesterday, Gokwe South RDC chief executive Mr Sailas Velani said the policy to ban new entrants was in place.

The guidelines and recommendations which have resulted in this new policy were produced by a Midlands Working Group, which had representatives from the Government and the eight rural district councils in the province, with the support of the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT).

“As Gokwe South RDC, we have a new policy to ban new developments within our boundaries without council approval,” said Mr Velani. “We have been victims of illegal settlers who are brought in by traditional leaders that have caused discord in planning as they settle even in wetlands.

“So, we are guarding against this through this new policy we have passed.”

Mr Velani said the new policy will also address issues to do with compensation of local communities displaced by growth point expansion and rural development projects in the area.

Acting district administrator for Gokwe South Mr Stewart Gwatiringa said the new policy by the RDC was coming at a right time when Government was working on bringing order in Chemagora Farms which had been occupied by illegal settlers.

“Government has started issuing eviction letters to illegal settlers in Chemagora Farms to bring sanity in the district,” he said. “To date we have issued 200 eviction letters and in line with that the RDC has a new policy to curb illegal settlements.

“Council has a new policy to ban new entrances or development and we are fully behind it.”

Mr Gwatiringa commended CCMT for advancing conflict management issues in the province – a development he said was vital for socio-economic development of the country.

He said Gokwe South district had been a victim of illegal settlers some of whom had led to deforestation of land through uncontrolled cutting down of trees.

“There is, however, need for a uniform policies or guidelines in dealing with expansion of the RDC as well as displacement of communities and, hence the importance of the guidelines and regulations from the Midlands Working Group supported by Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation which saw the new policy taking shape,” said Mr Gwatiringa.

The guidelines and recommendations which have been adopted by Mberengwa and Mvuma RDC’s among others are coming at a time when some growth points in the province are growing, while there has not be meaningful development in others since Government designated certain sites as either controlled business centres or growth points earmarked for urbanisation.