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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

Property owners illegally partitioning their buildings and those who neglect their buildings are breaching standards set in local authority by-laws Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti has said.

Mr Muguti urged property owners to revamp their properties as council will be issuing abatement orders to those who have neglected their buildings. An abatement order is a legal directive telling someone that they must stop doing something that is causing a problem for other people.

“The provincial development directorate for Harare Metropolitan Province has noted with great concern the rising number of illegally partitioned buildings in the Harare central business district and the need for property owners to maintain the standards required in the city by-laws,” Mr Muguti said.

“To this effect, the provincial development coordinator supports the City of Harare’s drive to achieve a world class city status by 2025. 

“All property owners are, therefore, required to immediately renovate their properties, maintain the frontage of their properties, have fully functional clean toilets for their employees, tenants and customers, while ensuring that their buildings are accessible by people living with disabilities.

“The City of Harare shall be issuing abatement orders to all property owners who have neglected their buildings which have now become an eyesore. This programme will also be decentralised to all local authorities in Harare Metropolitan Province.”

Mr Muguti said those in defiance of abatement orders will risk having their buildings closed until the required standards have been met.

“A world class city status starts with all of us doing our part to maintain a clean, organised, modernised and beautiful city,” he said.