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Talent Chimutambgi Herald Reporter

THE Government is seeking to repeal laws which prohibit the demolition of illegal settlements without a court order, as it moves to achieve world class settlements in tandem with the national agenda of attaining an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

Addressing a stakeholders meeting recently, Harare Metropolitan Provincial Minister of State and Devolution Affairs Oliver Chidawu said some clauses in the Constitution needed to be deliberated on.

Minister Chidawu said although the Government had intentions to meet the housing demands in Harare in tandem with the 2020 Zimbabwe Infrastructure Development Programme (ZIDP), as well as goals enshrined in Vision 2030, it would take necessary steps to raze all illegal structures built on unplanned areas after deliberating on Section 74 of the Constitution, which calls for a court order to demolish them.

He said the Government would not hesitate to demolish all illegal structures erected after 2017 even though it was targeting 105 935 houses by year end against the backlog of over two million on the housing waiting list.

Section 74 states that, “No person may be evicted from their home or have their home demolished, without an order from court made after considering all the relevant circumstances.”

However, Section 28 of the Constitution requires all Government institutions at every level both central and local authorities to take reasonable measures within the limit of their resources to enable every person to have access to adequate shelter.

“The Government has a problem with this rampant abuse of Section 74 of the Constitution, which requires court orders to demolish dwellings of any kind and I look forward for a discussion of that particular Section of the Constitution and the possibility of reliance on Section 86, which limits fundamental rights in order to curb the abuse of Section 74,” said Minister Chidawu.

“My office is mindful of the advent of land barons who have been taking advantage of our innocent people who are desperately in need of accommodation. We are aware that they come with council employees or local authorities are responsible for a multitude of illegal structures some of which are being built on sewer pipelines, wetlands, servitudes which are reserved for roads, railways developments and social amenities.

“My province will not hesitate to demolish settlements that are located on unplanned areas as we strive to create world class settlements that can attract both local and foreign investments, whilst the law will be allowed to deal with corrupt individuals.”

Minister Chidawu said there was need to bring sanity to settlement issues in Harare.

“According to the ZIDP, the national housing backlog stays at 1,3 million,” he said. “Out of that figure, Harare Metropolitan Province is expected to deliver 105 935 houses as outlined in the National Agenda.

“We are now being requested to sanitize all informal settlements that are encircling Harare, but only those built from 2017 going backwards.”